Types of Bromeliads
There are five main categories of bromeliads and hundreds of types within each group. All grow well in our mild climate, although guzmanias tend not to re-bloom outdoors; they need a greenhouse situation to stimulate reflowering.
* Aechmea: Probably the most well-known group of bromeliads. Plants tend to have stiff, upright, spiny leaves that form a water cup from which flowers emerge in colors such as pink, salmon and purple. Many gardeners have seen Aechmea fasciata (urn plant) with its stiff, upright, silver-banded green leaves and striking spiky pink flower. Aechmea flowers tend to last 12 to 16 weeks.
* Guzmania: Plants have soft, often shiny spineless leaves with tall eye-catching flowers in many colors, including yellow, pink, salmon, red, purple and orange. They bloom 12 to 16 weeks but usually don’t re-bloom unless placed in a greenhouse. Guzmania ‘Cherry’ is a popular one with a tall and stately orange-red flower.
* Neoregelia: The color in these low-growing bromeliads comes from their leaves, which create pink, red or purple rosettes when they bloom. After these plants finish blooming in eight to 12 weeks, the leaf color fades. Neoregelia carolinae ‘Perfecta Tricolor’ has a scarlet-red interior and white and green striped outer foliage.
* Tillandsias: This group of airborne bromeliads tends to be small with gray-green, often droopy, thin leaves and exotic, tropical-looking flowers that come in a variety of colors, including yellow, pink, red and orange. They bloom for six to 10 weeks.
Tillandsia ionantha has 2 1/2-inch gray-green leaves tinged with red that conceal violet flowers. There are tillandsia types with deep green leaves, but these tend to need more moisture than our dry climate can provide.
* Vriesas: Characterized by soft, upright-growing green or variegated leaves and branching, sword-shaped flowers in red, purple, yellow and orange. They bloom for eight to 12 weeks.
Vriesea ‘Tiffany’ has yellow and red shiny, sword-shaped flowers that can be spotted from yards away.
