Fascicularia bicolor

A terrestrial bromeliad, forming rosettes of slender, rigid, spiny-toothed leaves. Towards the end of Summer the bases of the leaves on mature plants begin to turn red and after a few weeks most of the leaf becomes bright crimson. A bud then forms in the center of this rosette which opens into a pale-blue flower, offering a striking colour combination in the Autumn garden!
Good drainage is essential, so dig in lots of grit or ideally you should grow Fascicularia bicolor in a raised bed or on well drained, sunny bank. Don't enrich your soil as this will encourage lots of leaves and few flowers. After flowering the rosettes begin to die but new ones quickly form from the base. Pull away the dead foliage to prevent disease spreading from the rotting leaves.

Prefers poor, sharply drained soil in full sun. Dislikes excessive winter wet. Regarded as tender, but survives outdoors in mild Irish gardens.

Site: Tolerates salt in a sheltered spot
Soil: Must be well drained, poor soil
Position: Full sun
Season of Interest: Evergreen, unusual flowers in Autumn
Hardiness: - 2°C Protect plants from the cold
Height: 1.5ft (50cm) Spread: 1.5ft (50cm) mature plants can grow larger in ideal conditions.