Bromeliad family. Homeland Brazil. There are 40 to 80 species in the genus that lead an epiphytic lifestyle. Plants are stemless, forming a wide rosette of leaves. The leaves themselves are broadly belt-shaped, with a serrate margin. During flowering, the apical leaves surrounding the inflorescences take on a bright color, red, purple, orange. Inflorescences are racemose, with numerous flowers, the corolla of which is folded and/or fused into a tube, at the tips there are three bent petals.
A fairly common plant that is appreciated by bromeliad lovers for the beauty of its leaves. Neoregelia grows a lot in width, so it requires a lot of space, it is best to place it on a separate stand next to the window. Especially beautiful is the neoregelia of Carolina Neoregelia carolinae. Its leaves are 40 cm long and 5 cm wide, have a light yellow stripe along the edge of the leaf, the center of the rosette is colored carmine red, and its flowers are blue. I must say that the middle of the outlet turns red just before the bloom of neoregelia. It should be noted that neoregelia is not a rather whimsical plant for indoor cultivation and tolerates dry air quite well.
Neoregelia - care and cultivation
Temperature
In summer, an ordinary room temperature of about 22-25 ° С is required, in winter it is cool 16-20 ° С, while the minimum winter temperature is + 13 ° С.
Lighting
Neoregelia is photophilous, it needs good lighting, with protection from direct sunlight in the summer during the hot season (from 11 to 15 hours). The best place is in the immediate vicinity of the south window or on the window sill east or west. In winter, a bright room is especially needed. Neoregelia often does not fit on the windowsill and is placed on a table, nightstand, shelf, generally at a distance from a natural light source, so provide additional lighting with fluorescent lamps.
Watering and humidity
Like all bromeliads, neoregelia is poured directly into the rosette of leaves. The water must be well maintained, have room temperature. In spring and summer, water should always be in the rosette of leaves, which is renewed at least once a month for fresh. When the plant is kept in winter at temperatures below 17 ° C, it is better to water into the soil, and not leave water in the outlet, otherwise fungal or bacterial infections may develop. Watering is moderate only when the soil dries almost completely.
Neoregelia love regular spraying, which is mandatory if the plant is in a too warm room (with central heating in winter).
Fertilizers
From May to August, fertilizer dressing is carried out once a month, while the fertilizer is diluted with water for irrigation and poured into an outlet. Fertilizer is used special for bromeliads, orchids. Fertilizer for ordinary indoor plants can be used, but taken at a dose three times less than for other plants.
Flight connections
The mother plant dies after flowering, but the offspring are planted in a soil mixture consisting of the 1 part of light turf, the 1 part of leaf, the 1 part of peat and the 1 part of humus, with an admixture of sand. You can use a purchased soil mixture for orchids. The container for landing should not be too deep, it is better to use wide plates.
Reproduction
Lateral shoots that are cut off after they grow their roots. They also propagate with seeds that are sown in loose soil (a mixture in half of sand and leaf earth).
