BROMELIAD

The bromeliad is the quintessential tropical plant. Bold, bright, lush, and oozing island vibes, this species of the genera family include the Aechmea, Billbergia, Cryptanthus, Dyckia, Guzmania, Neoregelia, Nidularium, Tillandsia and a variety of others."" Indigenous to the jungles and islands of South America as well as to Florida, bromeliads have found their home in the arsenal of any serious tropical gardener." The varieties are so wide that both the pineapple and spanish moss are in the bromeliad family. Bromeliads can be either terrestrial or air-based (living high up in trees) and require little soil to grow healthy.

The Bromeliad Family - beautiful tropical plants for indoors and outdoors

Despite often growing in trees, they are not parasitic and do not take nutrients from the trees which they reside in. They catch rainwater in their center by using the leaves to draw water into their cup-like center (making a slip-n-slide of sorts for insects). This diverse plant can come in a variety of vibrant colors including bright pink accents, oranges, blues, greens, and psychedelic patterns sure to rival any Grateful Dead t-shirt. The leaves are often serrated and come to a sharp point at the tip - not deadly, but enough to keep you or any pesky animals (i.e. children) on guard.

It's like having your own tropical plant nursery... 

Similar to agave, bromeliads reproduce by shooting off pups and produce a brilliant, long-lasting flower coming on a stalk shooting from the center before they die and allow the pups to take over. Due to the reproduction of the pups, Bromeliads can endure many years and last indefinitely. They grow well in most mediums and do great as potted plants as long as it drains well, is planted in unpacked soil, and is in a warm environment. They are considered among the top five houseplants to naturally purify air. In fact, a university study found that a single bromeliad houseplant can remove at least 80 percent of six different pollutants from the air inside a 20-gallon container in just 12 hours. Depending on the variety, they enjoy shade to partial sun and are quite resilient and incredibly easy to grow. Pot them indoors, outdoors, or even move them in or out depending on the season. Bromeliads are so resilient and easy to grow that they can even be taken gently out of the ground and placed somewhere else without any harm to the plant.