In the UK, bromeliads are grown as house plants. The most famous member of the bromeliad family is the pineapple (Ananas comosus), which can be grown indoors, although the fruit is not edible. Other bromeliads include the urn plant, Aechmea fasciata, the flaming sword plant, Vriesea splendens and the quill plant, Tillandsia (tiny air plants are also tillandsias).
Guzmanias are tall, with pineapple-like flowers, while Billbergia nutans is known as ‘queen’s tears’ as the pink flowers drip with nectar when touched or moved. Neoregelia carolinae f. tricolor is known as the tri-colour blushing bromeliad as the centre of its rosette of bold foliage turns pink-red (blushes) before it flowers. Cryptanthus are known as ‘earth stars’ thanks to their star-shaped foliage.
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