Orangeade Bromeliad

Orangeade bromeliad (Aechmea blanchetiana) forms a bold evergreen rosette of stiff, spiny-edged leaves, often bright orange in strong light and greener in shade. Its flowering spike carries small yellow flowers with colorful bracts, and mature rosettes produce offsets after flowering. ## Landscape Use Use it as a tropical accent, container plant, or massed groundcover where its coarse leaves can contrast with finer foliage. It can also grow epiphytically when attached to a rough-barked support; its cup-shaped rosette catches water. The species is native to eastern Brazil and is classified as an epiphyte by [Kew’s Plants of the World Online](https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/5361-2). ## Growing Conditions The [University of Florida IFAS profile](https://ask.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/FP014) lists this species at 2–4 feet tall and 1–4 feet wide. It grows in part shade to part sun and tolerates clay, sand, or loam, but needs moisture-retentive soil that drains freely. UF/IFAS describes established plants as highly drought tolerant; this does not remove the need for water while they establish. The cupped leaves may hold water, and flushing them can help if mosquitoes become a problem. ## Maintenance Each rosette flowers once and then gradually declines; leave or transplant the offsets (“pups”) that form at its base to continue the planting. Avoid persistently soggy soil, which can cause root rot. Check leaf cups for mosquito breeding where that is a local concern.