Beautiful Bromeliads.
Bromeliads are a very diverse group of plants with thousands of individual species. The leaves and flowers of Bromeliads are sure to interest any gardener with their colourful combinations. These plants are Epiphytes in their native habitat, which means they grow in tree canopies and use the trees for support. Natural rainfall and leaf litter from above sustain the plant as it grows, and many different animals and insects rely on them for food and habitat. Small pools of water are retained in the cup of leaves at the centre and it is here that Frogs and insects live. Bromeliads make great houseplants and are also great for a protected , brightly lit spot out in the garden preferably out of the direct sunlight. Being native to Tropical regions of the World, they are happiest in temperate to warm climates. I took these photos of Bromeliads in Sydney.
Bromeliads are members of a plant family known as Bromeliaceae with over 2700 described species in approximately 56 genera. The most well known bromeliad is the pineapple.
They are inexpensive, easy to grow, require very little care, and reward the grower with brilliant, long lasting blooms and ornamental foliage. They come in a wide range of sizes from tiny miniatures to giants. They can be grown indoors in cooler climates and can also be used outdoors in temperate areas.
Bromeliads can be grown in pots, in the garden, in greenhouses, on balconies, indoors or mounted on a tree or piece of wood. Many bromeliads don't need full sunlight and in fact, grow better in shady spots – that's why they're so successful under big trees.
Many hybrids are very colourful and easy to grow. They are epiphytic bromeliads, which have blue or white flowers, and various red spots and markings on the leaves.
The dramatic flowers of a bromeliad will last for at least six months. A plant's flowering season depends on the age of the plant and not the time of the year. The offspring created by a flowering bromeliad, will develop as the mother plant ages, and eventually take over.
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There are more than 2,700 species of bromeliads. One of the most well-known bromeliads is the pineapple. Bromeliads typically have bright red, orange, purple, or blue flowers, and can grow in a number of different ways: they can be terrestrial, growing on the ground; saxicolous, growing on rocks; or epiphytic, growing on other plants and trees.
Epiphytic bromeliads have the ability to absorb nutrients and moisture from the atmosphere, so they are sometimes called "air plants." Hundreds of these plants can grow on branches of tropical trees, sometimes causing the branches to break under their weight.
Bromeliads are native to the Neotropics. One species now thrives in western Africa, and is thought to have been introduced accidentally. Many bromeliads have stiff, overlapping leaves which hold rainfall like buckets. Leaves and debris fall into these reservoirs and help algae and other single-celled organisms to grow, which in turn feed mosquitoes, insect larvae, and other organisms.
The bromeliad is like a small ecosystem in itself—animals such as tree frogs, snails, flatworms, tiny crabs, and salamanders might spend their entire lives inside them.
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Bromeliads comprise an entire order of flowering plants called Bromeliales. The pineapple is the most familiar member of this tropical American group, which also includes some of the most interesting plants of the rainforest—the tank bromeliads.
Most bromeliads are epiphytes—that is, plants that live attached to other vegetation. Many live high above the forest floor, deriving energy from photosynthesis, water from rain, and nutrients mainly from falling debris and windblown dust.
The tank bromeliads have relationships with a wide variety of other organisms. The water held in the leaf rosette of a tank bromeliad forms a virtual aquarium, which may contain up to 20 litres (5 gallons) of water. Several hundred species of aquatic organisms can be found in these habitats, and some are found nowhere else except in bromeliad pools.
Among the creatures found here are fungi, algae, protozoa, and small invertebrates such as insects, spiders, scorpions, mites, worms, and even crabs. Vertebrate inhabitants of bromeliad tanks include frogs, salamanders, and snakes. Animal life, however, is dominated by insects, especially dipterans (two-winged flies) such as nonbiting midges and mosquitoes. On occasion, an aquatic species of bladderwort can be found floating in bromeliad tanks.
source: here
Like orchids, bromeliads are epiphytic, which means they grow on trees, rocks or other plants, and they get their water and nutrients from the air and rainwater. In many ways, caring for bromeliads is similar to orchids, so if you already have orchids, bromeliad plant care will be a snap!
Unlike most plants, they don’t get their nutrients from their roots, their roots are what they use to attach themselves to the growing support. Some types of bromeliad types can be difficult to grow as houseplants, because they like humidity and can dry out too quickly in the average home (especially during the dry winter months). But for the most part, bromeliads make great, easy-care houseplants.
Bromeliads are slow growing plants, and most of them will only bloom once in their lives. They are also short lived plants, and most bromeliad varieties will die after flowering.
Many people think that the large colorful growth that makes bromeliads so popular is the flower, which is a common misconception. But that is the flower bract, and not the actual flower. Bromeliad flowers grow out of the floral bracts.
Some bromeliad flowers are large beautiful spikes, and others are tiny and insignificant.
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My today’s visit to Longwood Gardens in Pennsylvania well known as one of the biggest botanical gardens in US, allowed me to share my own photographs of Bromeliads with short introduction of flower most gardeners love having in their own garden.
Cheerful, colourful, tropical and blessed with extraordinary appearances the Bromeliad has long been the most exotic beauty amongst houseplants. Commonly referred to as "air plants," bromeliads are native to the tropical Americas and are known for their signature arching, sword-like leaves that grow in a symmetrical rosette shape.
Pineapple and even Spanish moss are bromeliads, but some of the more common landscape varieties include the Aechmea and Neoregelia genera.The rosettes contain absorbent hairs and scales with which the plant absorbs water and nutrients. Bromeliads can be used for almost anything. You can strap them to trees or rocks, mount them on driftwood.
Bromeliads particularly need water in the rosette and sparingly on the soil. Watering once a week is sufficient. It’s also recommended to replace the water in the rosette regularly.
All photographs are taken by @rothberg with iPhone 6
Bromeliads are fascinating plants. They range from pineapples to spanish moss and come in a variety of shapes, sizes, colors and textures. Brazil is home to the most species of bromeliads. Most bromeliads only bloom once in their life.
Bromeliads don’t have one main flower. They actually produce an array of smaller flowers on spikes or inflorescences or in rosette shapes. Bromeliads with thin leaves like moisture, and those with thick leaves prefer dry conditions.
Pineapples are the only bromeliad fruits that are sold commercially throughout the world. Bromeliads can be found growing in three different ways. Terrestrial species grow with their roots in the ground (like most plants we are familiar with). Saxicolous species are found growing on rocks. Finally, Epiphytic species grow on other plants/hosts (usually trees), and get their nutrients from the air around them.
Tillandsia is the largest genus in the bromeliad family. Puya raimondii (see photo) is the largest species of bromeliad. The Puya raimondii may take 80 or more years to flower.
Source :http://www.bromeliads.info/bromeliad-facts/
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Bromeliad is the name for a family of plants that is incredibly diverse. There are 2,877 different species of bromeliads. And just about as many ways to care for them as there are different varieties. That being said there are a few things that will remain true for the majority of bromeliads and general principles of bromeliad care that will remain consistent. The following are tips for both indoor and outdoor bromeliad care and maintenance.
Almost all bromeliads are native to tropical climates. Their original habitat is humid and they grow on shady forest floors or attached to trees. This means bromeliads are adapted for warm, wet, shady climates. If you live in an area that will not freeze, you can safely plant your bromeliad outside. However, make sure you have a space that will not expose your bromeliad to large amounts of direct sunlight. A bromeliad can experience leaf burn if exposed to too much direct light. Different varieties have different tolerances for exposure to sun. Monitor your site to determine how much direct sun it receives and at what time of day and then purchase a bromeliad whose needs align with your site specifications. It is also important that your bromeliad remains mois
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contents source: http://www.bromeliads.info/general-indoor-outdoor-bromeliad-care/