What is a Bromeliad?
Bromeliad is the common name for a family of plants that contain many of the most ornamental and interesting types of plants available to the decorator/hobbyist. With one exception, all the species in the dozen or so genera are from the New World. In addition, bromeliads are possibly the newest plants to evolve on earth, making their appearance some 10 million years ago (flowering plants began about 60 million years ago). The most popular genera are: Tillandsia with so many artistically fascinatingly shaped air plants, Guzmania and Vriesea with such colorful and long lasting inflorescences, Neoregelia with its kaleidoscope-colored leaves, Aechmea featuring Aechmea fasciata with huge, beautiful pink bloom spike, and “Earth Star” Cryptanthus with its smaller, colorful species. Most bromeliads have leaves radiating from a central point creating a rosette that forms a water holding tank. This ability allows bromeliads in Nature to survive periods of drought and, by extension, need watering
