Aechmea fasciata and miscellaneous

Before my mother downsized her house, I lifted several Aechmea fasciata from her heavily shaded front lawn. Only one survived the transplant process and for 2.5yrs I wondered when (or if) it might bloom in my sunnier location.  Yesterday, the reward. 🙂

Urn Plants (as they’re commonly known) are ubiquitous in Vero Beach but they aren’t native.  Originally from Brazil, this stemless epiphyte grows 1-3′ tall in a basal rosette of stiff, arching, silvery-green leaves with black spines. Like many bromeliads, it blooms only once before dying, leaving pups (offsets) to take its place.

The inflorescence above is in a very early stage: at maturity the dense pyramidal head will lengthen as small violet-to-red flowers sprout among the bracts.  Such a beautiful, showy plant!

In other news, Jack had been visiting (he left last night) so we’ve spent a lot of time beachside and dining everywhere but home. 😉  My mother took this pic after Chicken Cacciatore at her house:

If TC were here, this would be a perfect a photo!

You may remember Jack wielding a machete on the rubber plant last January?  If not, here’s the original pic and a new one:

What a difference in 6 mos: both are so nicely dressed. 😉

For more  on A. fasciata, check out the Zemanta related links below.

Until next time…..
🙂 🙂 🙂

Related articles

• Pushing (or opening?) the climate envelope for epiphytic bromeliads (ecologyatgingko.wordpress.com)
• U is for Urn Plant (smallbluegreenflowers.wordpress.com)
• Aechmea fasciata – Pretty picture, rambling post (allandrewsplants.wordpress.com)
• High Definition Time lapse of a blossoming Silver Vase (disclose.tv)
• Brimming with Bromeliads (patrickaccampbell.wordpress.com)
• Two plant updates (allandrewsplants.wordpress.com)

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