AECHMEA DICHLAMYDEA VAR. TRINITENSIS

I SUPPOSE IF I WAS ACTUALLY FORCED TO PICK ONE FAMILY OF TROPICAL PLANTS THAT I LOVED THE VERY BEST, BROMELIADS WOULD BE THE FIRST AMONG EQUALS. AND THERE ARE FEW BROMELIADS I LOVE BETTER THAN THIS WONDERFUL BEAUTY. THIS IS A VERY LARGE PLANT WITH A BLOOM SPIKE THAT CAN TOP A YARDSTICK AND ONE WHICH LASTS FOR SEVERAL MONTHS. ONCE YOU HAVE A STAND OF THIS--AND YOU'LL NEED SPACE, IT MULTIPLIES DEPENDABLY, THOUGH NOT AGRESSIVELY, AND BLOOMS EVERY YEAR PRETTY MUCH ON AN APRIL TO JUNE SCHEDULE AT MY FLORIDA LOCATION. SOME HAVE CALLED THIS THE PATRIOTIC PLANT AND MANY CONFUSE THIS BROMELIAD WITH AECHMEA FENDLERI AND ITS VARIOUS HYBRIDS, BUT THIS IS A UNIQUE PLANT. ALL THAT WOULD MAKE IT BETTER IS FOR A VARIEGATED FORM TO CROP UP. IT'S A TROPICAL PLANT THAT ONCE SEEN IS NEVER EASILY FORGOTTEN.