Silver Vase

Location

Bromeliad Island Garden

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Silver Vase

• ​Common name: Silver Vase
• Scientific name: Aechmea distichantha
  
• Family name: Bromeliaceae
  
• Origin: Brazil​
• Height: 1 to 3 ft
  
• Width: 1 to 2 ft
  
• Growth: Slow
  
• Zone: USDA Zones 10B through 11
  
• Light needs: Part shade
  
• Salt tolerance: Low
  
• Soil/pH/Texture: Needs moist, well-drained soil with an acidic pH between 5.5 and 6.5. It can also be grown epiphytically on tree bark.
  
• Moisture: Substrate should be moist but not wet. The central cup should contain water at all times. Tolerant of high humidity.
  
• Drought tolerance: High
  
• Pests/Diseases: Root rot may occur with overwatering. Mosquitoes and scale may appear in the cup if it is not flushed out regularly.
  
• Growing conditions: Grow this bromeliad either epiphytically or in-ground in an area where it will receive good drainage and dappled shade. It is not tolerant of freezing temperatures. The central cup formed by the rosette is used to collect and absorb water and nutrients. This cup should be flushed out and refilled regularly to get rid of pests and bacteria. Rainwater should accomplish this with outdoor plants.
  
• Characteristics: The leaves grow in a rosette from the base, forming a tubular shape. The linear leaves are dark green with glaucous gray horizontal stripes, toothed margins, and a mucronate apex. The inflorescence grows on a stalk which emerges from the center of the plant. The flower head is star shaped with blue flowers and bright pink bracts. After flowering, the plant will begin to decline, producing several offsets before it dies.
  
• Propagation: By offsets.
  
• Wildlife: Frogs and insects often hide in the central cup.
  
• Designer considerations: It is an excellent tree planting or mass planting for visible spaces. Place it near plants with coarser foliage and cool-toned flowers to add contrast.