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Nidularium 'Fireball'

bromeliad 'Fireball'

A type of bromeliad which grows as an epiphytic plant in its natural habitat, but can be grown as an easy to care for houseplant, with thick stems and rosettes of long, leathery, glossy, strap-like green foliage which changes to fiery pinkish-red when exposed to sunlight. Small, purple flower bracts may appear from the centre of the rosettes on mature plants during the summer

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Ultimate height

0.1–0.5 metres

Time to ultimate height

2–5 years

Ultimate spread

0.1–0.5 metres

Loam

Sand

Moisture

Moist but well–drained

pH

Acid, Alkaline, Neutral

	Stem	Flower	Foliage	Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Full sun
Partial shade

Aspect

East–facing or North–facing or South–facing or West–facing

Exposure

Sheltered

Hardiness
Hardiness ratings
All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets
H1a: under glass all year (>15C)
H1b: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
H1c: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20)

Botanical details

Family: Bromeliaceae
Native to the UK: No
Foliage: Evergreen
Habit: Clump forming
Genus: A genus of bromeliad with rosettes of long, strap-like, glossy green leaves which can be toothed and variegated and may turn shades of red, purple and pink when exposed to high levels of light. Plants may produce red, purple or white flowers in the autumn
Name status: Unresolved

How to grow

Cultivation

Grow in a free-draining, peat-free compost containing grit or sand in a sheltered location in a consistent temperature of around 60-85°F (15-29°C). Feed with a balanced fertiliser monthly in spring and summer. See bromeliad cultivation or houseplant cultivation for further advice

Propagation

Propagate by seed, or by offsets taken from the base of the plant, once they are at least a third of the size of the parent plant

Suggested planting locations and garden types

Houseplants
Low Maintenance
Conservatory and greenhouse

Pruning

No pruning required

Pests

Generally pest-free but may be susceptible to mealybugs and glasshouse red spider mite

Diseases

Generally disease-free

Get involved

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