Aechmea caudata, a large-format bromeliad
Aechmea caudata
- Exposure
- Half-shade
- Hardiness (USDA)
- 9b (-3.9°C ≤ T° < -1.1°C)
- Lifecycle
- Perennial
- Foliage
- Evergreen
- Family
- Bromeliads Bromeliaceae
- Genus
- Aechmea
- Species
- Aechmea caudata
Other names:Aechmea caudata f. albiflora, Aechmea platzmannii, Aechmea henningsiana, Aechmea caudata var. variegata, Aechmea caudata var. caudata, Hoplophytum luteum, Hoplophytum platzmannii, Ortgiesia caudata, Ortgiesia caudata f. albiflora
In the Bromeliaceae family, I'd like… the Aechmea caudata! This variety, native to Brazil, is distinguished by its arched, two-toned leaves, its flower spike, and its large size.
How can you recognize Aechmea caudata?
Aechmea caudata is a spreading, epiphytic perennial. It can grow up to 1.2 meters tall and just as wide.
Like aechmea chantinii, this variety is acaulescent—it has no stem. Its leaves grow in a rosette, forming a cavity in the center that serves as the plant's water reservoir. The arched, lanceolate leaf blades are 70 centimeters long and 8 centimeters wide. Leathery in texture, they are edged with black spines. The leaves are glossy green with pale yellow margins.
Aechmea caudata blooms only once in its lifetime. A flower stalk 80 centimeters tall emerges from the center of the foliage. At its tip sits a spike that supports the inflorescence—a panicle of small yellow flowers. Flowering generally occurs in the summer. It lasts up to six months, after which the plant slowly dies. However, it takes the time to reproduce by forming offshoots at its base.
Aechmea caudata is not a toxic plant. However, it is recommended that you wear gloves when handling it. Its sharp spines can be quite prickly.
Our care tips
Aechmea caudata are often sold already in flower. If you're growing offshoots, be patient! It takes three or four years for the plant to flower.
Watering
Always water your Aechmea caudata with fresh water at room temperature. Preferably use rainwater.
When watering, pour the water into the heart of the plant, into the reservoir formed by the leaves. Water regularly, but not heavily. Keep the soil moist in summer, but allow the surface to dry out in winter.
Aechmea caudata like to keep two to three centimetres of water at the heart of the rosette. But don't let the water stagnate too long. Before watering, drain off any residual water by tilting the plant slightly.
Misting
Mist foliage with non-calcareous water at room temperature.
Also spray the substrate to keep it slightly moist.
Repotting
Every year in the spring, repot your Aechmea caudata to give it more space.
Choose a pierced pot twelve to fifteen centimetres in diameter. Line the bottom with a bed of clay balls for drainage.
Then add an aerated substrate. You can buy potting soil for bromeliads or mix orchid potting soil, perlite and coconut fibre. Plant aechmea caudata in the center, without burying it too deeply.
To maintain a high level of humidity, place the pot on a dish filled with moist clay balls.
Fertilization
To promote the growth of your Aechmea caudata, apply fertilizer in spring and summer.
Apply green plant fertilizer in addition to watering.
Cleaning
It is not advisable to clean the foliage. Leaves are covered with trichomes, small transparent hairs that capture moisture. They are fragile and can be damaged by dusting.
If your plant gets dusty, it's best to baste the foliage with lukewarm water.
Taking cuttings
Wait until the end of flowering to propagate your Aechmea caudata.
After flowering, your Aechmea caudata produces suckers. You can remove them to propagate the plant. When they are about ten centimeters long, you can separate them using your hands or a clean knife.
Prepare a pierced pot adapted to the size of your cutting. Aechmea caudata like to be cramped. The container doesn't have to be large (eight centimetres in diameter is enough), but it should be deep enough to support the weight of the plant without tipping over.
Place a layer of clay balls at the bottom for drainage. Then add a potting soil for bromeliads. You can also make your own substrate by mixing orchid potting soil and green plant compost.
Plant your seedling in the center of the pot. Don' t bury it too deeply. Pack lightly and water with non-calcareous water to moisten the soil.
Cuttings sometimes have trouble standing up straight on their own. You can stake the plant to support it.
Disease / Threat
Information
- Lifecycle
- Perennial
- Foliage
- Evergreen
- Exposure
- Half-shade
- Substrate
- Humus soil
- Planting method
- In pots
- Categories
- IndoorHerbaceousFlowery
- Tags
- BeginnerFlowery
- Origin
- South America
- Hardiness (USDA)
- 9b (-3.9°C ≤ T° < -1.1°C)
- Leaf colors
- Light greenYellow
- Flower color
- Yellow
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Find out more
Find all our tips in the Monstera application
