Neoregelia carolinae in the ground

Credit: Forest & Kim Starr

Reservoir in center Neoregelia carolinae

Credit: Juuyoh Tanaka

Flowers of Neoregelia carolinae

Credit: HQ Flower Guide

Neoregelia carolinae in the ground

Credit: Cyril Nelson

Neoregelia carolinae, the Carolina neoregelia that blushes when it flowers

Are you looking for a colorful, original tropical plant to brighten up your home or conservatory? Neoregelia carolinae, endemic to the Bahia region of Brazil, is sure to please! This member of the Bromeliaceae family is very shy: it turns red in the center when it's about to bloom.

How to recognize Neoregelia carolinae?

Neoregelia carolinae is a spreading rosette-shaped perennial and epiphyte. While it grows to 30 to 45 centimetres in height and 45 to 60 centimetres in width in its natural environment, its dimensions are halved when cultivated in a temperate climate.

The plant is aculeate and has spindly roots. Its leaves grow in a rosette, forming a central reservoir.

Its evergreen foliage consists of ribbon- or sword-shaped leaves with serrated edges. They can reach 30 centimetres in length. Shiny green, they take on a scarlet hue at the base when flowering.

The globular inflorescence is made up of small lavender-blue flowers, surrounded by crimson-red bracts, nestling in the heart of the rosette. Like billbergia nutans, the plant is monocarpic. It flowers only once in its life

The plant is non-toxic, so you can let your children and pets go about their business without fear. In the wild, Neoregelia carolinae is even very popular with small animals. They come to drink the water that stagnates in the heart of the rosette.

Our maintenance tips

Neoregelia carolinae like humidity. If the leaves turn yellow, the plant is lacking water.

Watering

Neoregelia carolinae thrive in fresh, but not soggy, soil. Water the substrate with non-calcareous water at room temperature when the soil surface is dry, for two to three centimetres.

Outside the flowering season, pour a little water into the heart of the rosette. The water should always remain clear. Remember to empty it before refilling the reservoir with clean water. Use only rainwater or demineralized water. Tap water and bottled water contain minerals and nutrients that will kill your plant.

Remove stagnant water from the saucer after watering. It causes root rot.

Spray

Mist the foliage with non-calcareous water at room temperature. This will temporarily increase humidity and prevent pest attacks.

Repotting

Every spring, repot your Neoregelia carolinae to give it more space.

Choose a pot with a hole about ten centimetres in diameter. Fill it with potting soil for epiphytic orchids. You can also make your own growing medium by mixing sphagnum moss and bark. Water the substrate to facilitate planting.

Plant your Neoregelia carolinae in the center and tamp lightly.

You can place the pot on a saucer full of moist clay balls to improve humidity.

Fertilization

To promote the growth of your Neoregelia carolinae, apply fertilizer in spring and summer.

Apply a green plant fertilizer diluted with water. As your plant is not very greedy, you can divide the dose indicated on the packaging by two.

Cutting

Wait until the end of flowering to propagate your Neoregelia carolinae.

Wait until the shoots have started to develop their own root system before removing them. When they are at least a third of the size of the mother plant, you can separate them. You can do this by hand, simply by pulling on the rosette or using a clean, sharp tool.

Get a pot with holes about ten centimetres in diameter.

Fill your pot with potting soil for bromeliads and water. Plant your Neoregelia carolinae in the center and tamp it down.

Water regularly to keep the potting soil moist for the first two months. Once the plant is well established, you can water it as you would a mature plant.

Disease / Threat

Mealybugs

Information

Family	Bromeliads - Bromeliaceae
Type	Neoregelia - Neoregelia
Species	Neoregelia carolinae - Neoregelia carolinae
Lifecycle	Perennial
Foliage	Evergreen
Exposures	Sun Half-shade
Substrat	Humus soil
Planting method	In pots
Category	Interior
Tag	Beginner
Origin	South America
Hardiness (USDA)	11a
Leaf color
Flower color