Characterized by their colorful foliage and flowers, bromeliads make great houseplants and some can also be grown outdoors in containers, gardens, and even on trees or other surfaces.
Bromeliad Facts
- In the wild, bromeliads are epiphytes, which means they grow on trees. These bromeliads get everything they need from the air and rain.1
- There are sixteen bromeliad species that are native to Florida, ten of which are endangered.2
- Bromeliads are in the pineapple family, Bromeliaceae.3
Growing Bromeliads
Bromeliads do not do well in freezes, so only those who live in central and south Florida should include bromeliads in their gardens. If you live in north Florida, keep bromeliads as houseplants or place them in containers that can be brought inside when the temperature dips.1
Consider putting your bromeliad on a porch or near a window because the majority do best in areas that are well lit but not exposed to direct sunlight.1
Bromeliad’s need well-drained soils and should be watered every one to two weeks.1
For more on growing bromeliads, please see Bromeliads at a Glance or contact your UF/IFAS Extension county office.
- Sydney Park Brown, Bromeliads at a Glance, ENH1071, Gainesville: University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, 2013, https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ep337
- Barbra C. Larson, J. Howard Frank, Ginger M. Allen and Martin B. Main, Florida’s Native Bromeliads, CIR1466, Gainesville: University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, 2013, https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/uw205
- “Bromeliads,” U.S. National Park Service, 2016, http://www.nps.gov/ever/learn/nature/bromeliads.htm
Photo credits: UF/IFAS
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