Blue Tango Bromeliad

Reiman Gardens is home to a wide collection of exotic plants but one made a trip around the world thanks to Christopher Columbus. Bromeliads were first recorded in history when Christopher Columbus introduced the pineapple to Spain in 1493 from his trip to the New World. He had found it being grown by the Caribe Indians in the West Indies. Within 50 years it was being grown in India and other Old World counties. It took a while for other bromeliads to appear. Originally, they were only found in royal botanical gardens or in the private gardens of wealthy Europeans. In the last hundred years, however, bromeliads have become widely available and used as ornamental plants.

The ‘Blue Tango’ bromeliad is a pretty new hybrid, it creates a hot pink and bright blue color. The flower stalk stands high above the foliage and bears hot pink branches of small brilliant blue bracts. This cultivar can be grown indoors or in warmer climates, preferably climates that don’t hit freezing temperatures often. It prefers bright, indirect light and can be 24-36 inches tall. The plant has sharp edges. The Blue Tango bromeliad does not set seed because the flowers are sterile.

Most bromeliads are native to tropical areas so it is important to use them in warmer climates or as indoor plants. They are great to use in landscaping because they typically don’t require much water and enjoy the humidity. Bromeliads also produce offsets easily that will quickly cover the ground. There are many different varieties but they provide a pop of color and texture to any landscape.

You can find the Blue Tango bromeliad in the containers lining the pool in the Jones Rose Garden. They provide a stunning pop of color to these arrangements as well as different look than many of the other plants in this part of the Gardens. Come check out plants that have made it around the world at Reiman Gardens.

http://www.bromeliads.info/bromeliad-blooms/
http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/85174/#ixzz3bYe8hhQo
http://www.bromeliads.info/the-best-bromeliads-for-outdoor-landscapes/
http://www.bsi.org/brom_info/what.html

– Reiman Gardens’ Communications & Graphic Design intern, Lauren