Red Chestnut Bromeliad

• Common Name: Red Chestnut Bromeliad
• Scientific Name: Bromelia Vriesea or Vriesea fosteriana
• Family name: Bromeliaceae
• Origin: Brazil
• Height: 12 inches
• Width: 24 inches
• Growth: Slow growth rate
• Zone: 10a
• Light needs: Partial sun to full shade
• Salt tolerance: Moderate
• Soil/PH/texture: Prefers well-drained soil with a slightly acidic to neutral pH (6.1-7.3).
• Moisture: Prefers high humidity, needs moderate watering to fill its water cavity.
• Drought tolerance: Moderate
• Pests/diseases: Mealybugs and aphids, scale, rot; water reservoir may become a breeding ground for mosquitoes, so it should be flushed out and refilled weekly.
• Growing conditions: Easy to grow indoors or outdoors in part-shade areas, in terrariums, or in well-drained pots – anywhere where there is shade and humidity.
• Characteristics: Glossy green leaves with white stripes – leaves begin to turn rust-red as it ages. In the center, the base of the leaves forms a cup-like shape which collects water. It is monocarpic, flowering only once in its life. Flowers grow on a shaft and are white green with red spots, and last only one night. It is epiphytic, so it absorbs nutrients from the air and from its water reservoir rather than from the soil.
• Propagation: By offsets (pups)
• Wildlife: Water cavity attracts mosquitoes and other water-laying insects, and the occasional frog.
• Facts: It does not absorb water through its roots, but through the cup-like water reservoir in its center. Roots are used for stabilization. In its native habitat in Brazil, flowers are pollinated at night by bats.
• Designer considerations: Good in terrariums, in pots (1 gallon or larger) and for a burst of color in shady areas.