Aechmea Fasciata: Silver Vase Plant
Native to Central and South America, Aechmea fasciata is a beautiful bromeliad with a sculptural form that looks great shown off as a specimen plant in the home. Tough and easy to care for, it is one of our houseplant picks of the month.
Plant care & info
Family: Bromeliaceae
Genus: Aechmea fasciata
Common Name: Silver Vase
Native to Central and South America.
Tough and easy to care for.
Bright light to partial shade.
Keep the cup the leaves form filled with water. Allow soil to dry in between waterings.
Optimum temperature range is 50-80 degrees.
Central plant will form offshoots, or pups, that can be removed and transplanted as new plants.
A low nitrogen fertilizer is best, something similar to 2-7-7
Rinse off under the faucet once in a while to keep dust from building up.
Aechmeas are epiphytes belonging to the bromeliad family. Epiphytes attach themselves to nooks in trees in order to be best exposed to light and water but they are not parasitic. In fact, in their native environment, insects and some frogs sustain life in the funnels of Aechmea leaves.
Once mature, showy pink bracts unfurl under tiny purple flowers that hold their color for a long period of time. Plants flower once and then slowly die, however, they also produce offshoots that can be removed. Simply tug or cut off the offshoots to create new plants and allow the cycle to continue.
