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| Category: Succulent |
| Family: Bromeliaceae (Bromeliads) |
| Origin: Chile (South America) |
| Evergreen: Yes |
| Flower Color: Blue |
| Bloomtime: Summer |
| Synonyms: [Fascicularia bicolor ssp. canaliculata] |
| Height: 1-2 feet |
| Width: 1-2 feet |
| Exposure: Sun or Shade |
| Summer Dry: Yes |
| Irrigation (H2O Info): Low Water Needs |
| Winter Hardiness: <15° F |
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Fascicularia pitcairniifolia - An evergreen terrestrial bromeliad to 2 feet tall with rosettes holding arching soft spine-margined, leaves that reach out to 3 feet and are green on the upper surface and silvery white below. The clone we have is shy to flower, in fact we had never seen bloom in our garden or nursery until the dry spring of 2014, though we have had it in the ground for over 25 years and many other gardeners in California report the same. The plant that flowered was growing in a pot in full sun and had the center of the rosette turn scarlet surrounding the dense cluster of striking blue flowers tipped with bright yellow pollen. Plant in full sun to medium shade in a well-draining soil. It has low water needs and is frost and cold hardy to about 15° F. A great plant for under live oaks; never needs to be irrigated and leaves don't collect on top of plant. Although the foliage appears spiny they are not wicked and can be safely planted along pathways. This plant comes from south-central coastal Chile and is considered to have the most southern distribution in the Bromeliad family. It is sometimes synonymized with, or listed as a variety or subspecies (ssp. canaliculata) of Fascicularia bicolor, another Chilean species, that has shorter leaves and blue flowers subtended by ivory-colored bracts. The Plant List, the collaboration between the Royal Botanic Garden Kew and the Missouri Botanic Garden (MOBOT) even lists Fascicularia pitcairniifolia as a synonym with the unresolved Hechtia pitcairniifolia, which really seems off the mark. Others note that the name "pitcairnifolia" should not be used because it is "ill defined" but since it is the name long used in horticulture for this plant and the we received it as, we continue to use Fascicularia pitcairniifolia. The name for the genus comes from the Latin words 'fascis' for "bundle" and 'arius' meaning "pertaining to" in reference to the tightly clustered flowers and the specific epithet means leaves like those of Pitcairnia, another related terrestrial bromeliad.
The information about Fascicularia pitcairniifolia displayed on this page is based on research conducted in our nursery library and from online sources we consider reliable. We will also relate those observations made of this plant as it grows in our nursery gardens and in other gardens that we have visited, as well how the crops have performed in containers in our nursery field. We will also incorporate comments we receive from others and welcome hearing from anyone who has additional information, particularly when they share cultural information that would aid others in growing it.
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