Tineapple is the most popular indoor foliage plant today. It amazes people with its unique flowers and beautiful patterns. Bromeliads are highly ornamental flowers and foliage plants that can be cultivated especially indoors. They are of high quality as home gardening ornaments. Commonly cultivated varieties are as follows: Water Tower Flower, native to Mexico In the jungles of southern Brazil and northern Argentina, there are about 50 species, most of which are terrestrial. The leaves are sickle-shaped, with the upper part tilting downward, and 5 to 8 leaves arranged in a tubular rosette. This plant is very suitable for indoor decoration. It likes full sunlight for at least 3 hours a day, but it is also tolerant of semi-shade. It likes coolness and ventilation in summer, and can also tolerate a slightly dry climate. Common varieties include beautiful calyx water tower flower, red water tower flower, night water tower flower, palace maid's tears, etc. The loam soil should be acidic sandy loam rich in humus and well drained by water spraying. In addition, there are dragonfly pineapples, also known as "beautiful leaves, light calyx lotus" and colorful leaf pineapples. 1. Geophysics (potted or planted on the ground)

The most well-known terrestrial species of the bromeliad family is the pineapple we eat, namely Ananas. There are native pineapples in Hong Kong, but of course the species were introduced from other places.

So most people think that pineapples are grown in the ground like other plants, but they have thick leaves and are more drought-resistant than ordinary plants.

In fact, this is not the case. Even if terrestrial pineapples have certain drought tolerance, mature root systems, and the ability to absorb water and nutrients, their leaf functions are still stronger than those of ordinary plants. The pineapples are still thriving despite the harsh environment.

The pineapple we eat can grow on thin ground for many years and bloom and bear fruit, because the leaves of the bromeliad family have a different nutrient base than ordinary plants. This is a specialized scientific research and will be discussed later.

Except for Ananas, the most common terrestrial bromeliad is earth star, also known as Bromeliad (Fig. 1), also known as Cryptosporidium bromeliad (because the flowers are not obvious, when blooming) Still hidden in Ye Xin).

Most of this genus consists of small terrestrial species, the largest being no more than 30cm. Although ground-growing, they are by no means succulents and are not suitable for sandy soil. Just use ordinary culture soil for planting, irrigate frequently, and apply light fertilizer and fertilizer frequently.

Dixing is the most fertile and fast-growing group among the bromeliads, except for pineapples.

Another common variety is Dykia (Figure 2). This variety is extremely drought tolerant and often grows in dry deserts or rocks. This variety can be grown as a succulent plant.

What is surprising is that many shops in the flower market call them "water pineapples" and teach people how to grow them in water. Let me tell you a fact, the result will be death.

In fact, sand phoenixes are very susceptible to water because they grow in arid deserts or rocks. They can only rely on short rainy days to absorb a large amount of water, and then wait patiently for the next heavy rain to come.

They can withstand large amounts of water in the short term, but long-term hydroponics are fatal.

Other terrestrial species that are less well known to locals include Bromelia, Puya, Hechita, Orthophytum... and so on.

2. Leaf-growing (can still be grown in pots)

This is the method used by most people to grow bromeliads. Even if they are leaf-growing, the root system is not developed, or the roots are only Used to support plants, people are still used to planting them in pots (with soil or in the ground).

The most common and longest-cultivated one is Aechmea (Figure 3), including Aechmea, Dragonfly and Bromeliad.

Another big family is the water-logged pineapple Neoregelia, also known as the shy pineapple (the leaves turn red when they bloom, as if they are shy). Most people keep them in pots with soil. In fact, they do not absorb soil. Moisture depends on the leaves absorbing water and nutrients to survive. Among them, the representative variety is Neoregelia carolina variagata, or its hybrids and variants. Another popular variety is the small to medium-sized Neoregeiia 'Fireball' (Figure 4).

Other foliage species include Guzmania, including all pineapples known as "red star" and Vriesea, also known as red sword or sword pineapple (Figure 5).

Both varieties can be grown without soil, and they grow well indoors in light, without the need for bright light. It's just that they are afraid of heat. The local summer is very hot, so they "sigh" at the cold air. They are also a "thornless" member of the bromeliad family, with no thorns along the leaf edges. Most other species have small or strong thorns, so these two genera are very suitable for indoor ornamental plants.

Little-known varieties include Billbergia, which needs strong light, Nidularium, which loves the cold, etc.

In fact, for the above varieties, as long as the leaf cup is not dry and the leaves are wet, they will not die if there is basically no water in the soil. Because their roots have no function of absorbing water and nutrients. This type of variety can be planted with orchid-growing materials, such as orchid stones, miscanthus, sphagnum moss, vermiculite, perlite... Of course, soil can also be used for planting, but be careful not to make the soil too wet in summer, as it will cause root rot. . Fertilizing them in the soil at the same time will have no effect on them. If you want to fertilize, use very dilute liquid fertilizer, mix it with water, and pour it into the cup in the center of the leaf. The most important thing is that all bromeliads cannot use chemical fertilizers containing copper and aluminum, because these metals are poison to them. If you want them to die, please drink copper and aluminum!

However, fertilization has a negative impact on this type of variety. That is, the leaves of variegated leaf varieties are easy to turn back to green or fade, and if they grow too vigorously, the leaf color is not bright, the leaves are steep and long, and they lose their ordinary value. . Especially water tower flowers, their beautiful leaf color is due to the harsh growing conditions (strong light and lack of water), so don't damage your pineapples.

3. Aerial (like Orchidaceae, it can grow well even without plant material)

This type of ecological form of Bromeliads includes all Tillandsia (Figure 6 ) (Except for a few varieties with all-green smooth leaves, such as Tillandsia dyeriana, which should be planted as leaves).

This type of aerial pineapple also relies on its leaves to absorb water and nutrients, but it has a stronger moisture absorption and drought tolerance than the leaf-grown ones mentioned above