ALCANTAREA IMPERIALIS AKA VRIESIA IMPERIALIS RARE AND STRIKING GARDEN BROMELIAD AN OLD PLANT IN FLOWER

This species is a large terestrial Bromeliad from Brazil that was previously known as Vriesia imperialis. Later it was renamed to its own genus of Alcantarea. It is a large species that has leaves six inches wide and up to five feet long. Leaf color is often multi-colored with a green background having purple and silver tones. Blossoms ar upright, yellow and red in color (as shown below). Plants may take up to ten years before they blossom. Unfortunately, after the blossoming process ceases, the mother plant will die and small suckers are formed and the whole process repeats itself. In Southern California, this species tolerates coastal sun. In far inland areas it would want partial sun or strong filtered light. Cold hardiness is into the upper twenties F. We presently have just the one specimen below which we’re putting on special. Not only is this an extremely rare species to acquire, it’s even more rare to find one in blossom.

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