Blushing Bromeliad – Neoregelia carolinae

Common Name: Blushing Bromeliad

Botanical Name: Neoregelia carolinae, nee-oh-ruh-JEE-lee-uh ka-ro-LIN-e

Decorative Life: Plants can last months to years, depending on use, but reflowering is unlikely.

Flower Color: Lavender, Violet, White

Availability: Year Round

Various fertilizer treatments during production did not alter the postharvest performance of ‘Perfecta Tricolor’.

• Is a member of the Bromeliaceae (bromeliad or pineapple) family.
• Native to Brazil, Colombia and Peru.
• Common relatives include pineapple, Spanish moss and other bromeliads.

• Has shinny leaves that are green above, darker beneath and the inner base purplish to orange-red.
• Leaves are also stiff, spiny, mostly linear in a basal rosette.
• Flowers borne mostly in spike-type inflorescences, monocotyledon.

Chill sensitive, store above 55 degrees F and do not store or ship over two weeks.

• Most bromeliads only flower once under home/office conditions. However, if new off-shoots are produced, it is possible to induce them to flower by treating the plant with ethylene gas. To treat a plant, place one or two ready to eat apples next to the plant and them seal the plant and apples in a plastic bag. Keep the bag sealed for two or three days at room temperature. Remove the bag and apples. It may take many weeks before you will know if the treatment was successful.
• Most are classified as “epiphytes” or air plants as they grow on other plants and elevated supports. They are not parasites but obtain water and nutrients through a spongy covering of their roots.
• The cultivar ‘tricolor’ has variegated leaves. Named for E. A. von Regel (1815-1892), German botanist and Director of the Imperial Botanic Gardens, St. Petersburg from 1875 to his death.
• The most common member of this family is the pineapple, other species are grown for fiber but most are grown for ornamental value. Will generally grow well in light levels bright enough to read a newspaper in comfort.
• Most cultivars can survive under a wide range of light conditions.

Poole and Conover (1993) stored ‘Perfecta Tricolor’ at 36-46F from 1-4 days and subsequently noted collasped tissue near leaf center within a few days. Wolverton and Wolverton (1992) showed that this is one of many foliage and flowering plant species that can remove air pollutants such as xylene.