Tillandsia oerstediana - Flaming Sword Bromeliad

This Bromeliad is a truly striking plant, with its large flower spike extending above the fountain of mid-green foliage. The bright yellow-green of this bract is really effective as a statement plant, and the plant will keep giving too. These Bromeliads only bloom once, but the bloom will last for several months before dying back. Like a phoenix from the ashes (but thankfully without the fire), the plant should then produce pups, which can be potted out when they reach around a third the size of the parent plant. In these clones, the plant passes its own genes on - and they will have the chance to flower and reproduce themselves! Growing 60cm (2ft) tall and 40cm (18") wide, this plant is impactful, and should give you years of repotting fun with its pups and descendents...

Scientific Name
Tillandsia oerstediana (Tillandz' plant, Oersted's variety)

Common Name
Flaming Sword Bromeliad

Origin
Native to Costa Rica and Western Panama

Light
Likes bright, indirect light; think of the dappled light you'd get under the branches of a tree.

Water
Let the top third of the soil dry out between waters, and reduce watering in autumn and winter. Keep the 'goblet' in the crown of the plant topped up with water and the plant will be fine to dry out more - and this helps with humidity levels too!

Humidity
Keeping the central goblet in the crown of the plant topped up will help keep local humidity high enough with this plant. It likes higher humidity like its tropical home.

Soil
This plant is epiphytic in its natural habitat, so will prefer soil designed for epiphytes such as anthuriums and orchids. Adding elements like bark, perlite and zeolite will work too. Repot as the plant grows, and pot out pups once they are a third of the size of the parent plant.

Food
Feed every four waters in the growing season, reduce to every six in autumn and winter.

Temperature
Temperature should ideally be between 15-30°C- make sure it doesn't drop below 12°C in winter.

Pet-safe
Yes, but too much nibbling won't be good for pets, small humans or the plant!

Sprouts Top Tips
Keep the 'well' of water in the centre of the foliage topped up, and otherwise don't let the soil sit soggy. When the plant produces its pups, wait until they are around one third the size of the parent plant before potting them out; at this point they're ready to grow up and move out! The parent plant will die after this, but the DNA will be carried forward by the pups.