Please share any full sun bromeliads you have grown.
Aechmea blanchetiana has done really well on my hot deck.



Aechemea 'Red Candles' is a new one that did really well for me last summer. It does bleach out to more of an orange than red with full afternoon sun though.








I bought this Alcantarea Imperialis in 2017 for full sun but I have discovered it does not care for the heat in the end of summer temps on my deck. I was a little disappointed that I have to have it a little more sheltered from afternoon sun.

Lava Burst Ananas is pretty good with full sun also.



I would love to find something with a lot of purple coloration that can take sun if anyone has any ideas. I am also considering a tiger type but have not decided what one I like the best.

Audrey, oh my they are all gorgeous!

I especially like that beautiful Bromeliad (Alcantarea imperialis) and the colorful Pineapple (Ananas 'Lava Burst') !

Thank you Lin. The Lava Burst is a fun one. It looks super ugly during the winter though for me. It looses color very quickly without lots of sun. This bromeliad seems to adore the heat. That makes it rate pretty high with me even if it is an ugly duckling to over winter.

I love Lava Burst, you are right it gets a bit dull in shade. Red Candles is on my want list.

I'll get some photos later, no time today. Great idea Audrey.

I got an email from Bromeliad Paradise this morning, this is a list of their full sun broms. I have never bought anything from them so I can't comment on the plants. There are some gorgeous pictures here.
https://bromeliadparadise.com/...

Thanks for posting that, Alice. It's a new one to me and they do have some great plants.

Audrey, you gave this to me before, it is now happily settled here and endures our cold wet winter very well, likes the sun now as long as it is getting the rains, quite a lot of greenish color. But it turns burgundy when it gets much warmer.
When I first got it in March 2016


Photos through the years:
Dec 2016

March 2017

Sep 2017

Jan 2018

July 2018

11Feb 2019

Terrestrial bromeliads here growing in full sun....

I've purchased a couple of Neoregelia plants from Bromeliad Paradise the past two years. I never bought the expensive ones but was very happy with the size and health of the plants I received. The blue link above is the recommendation I left for them with photos of two Broms on the day I received them.

sunkissed said:I love Lava Burst, you are right it gets a bit dull in shade. Red Candles is on my want list.

I'll get some photos later, no time today. Great idea Audrey.

Thanks Sherri! I got an extra Red candles if you are ever up for trades.

ardesia said:I got an email from Bromeliad Paradise this morning, this is a list of their full sun broms. I have never bought anything from them so I can't comment on the plants. There are some gorgeous pictures here.
https://bromeliadparadise.com/...

I'll check out the link..........could be dangerous

tarev said:Audrey, you gave this to me before, it is now happily settled here and endures our cold wet winter very well, likes the sun now as long as it is getting the rains, quite a lot of greenish color. But it turns burgundy when it gets much warmer.
When I first got it in March 2016


Photos through the years:
Dec 2016

March 2017

Sep 2017

Jan 2018

July 2018

11Feb 2019

Very cool update photos Tarev! Have you seen the bloom yet? I have two kinds that look just the same but one has red flowers and the other has blue and yellow like queen of tears. I don't remember what I sent you. I think one is a crytobergia .....I know I spelled that wrong but I have been on the trail to figuring out what they are.

Baja_Costero said:Terrestrial bromeliads here growing in full sun....

• Bromeliad (Dyckia)
• Uploaded by Baja_Costero

• Bromeliad (Dyckia)
• Uploaded by Baja_Costero

• Bromeliad (Dyckia)
• Uploaded by Baja_Costero

• Dyckia 'Brittle Star'
• Uploaded by Baja_Costero

• Bromeliad (Dyckia)
• Uploaded by Baja_Costero

• Bromeliad (Dyckia)
• Uploaded by Baja_Costero

• Bromeliad (Deuterocohnia brevifolia)
• Uploaded by Baja_Costero

• Bromeliad (Deuterocohnia brevifolia)
• Uploaded by Baja_Costero

Baja, you always provide the coolest eye candy! I forgot about my dyckias. I will
have to get some photos of those together. I lost a lot last winter when we dipped into the teens.

Hi Audrey, have not seen it bloom yet, but I am enjoying this plant a lot, with its changing color hues depending on the season.

Thanks Audrey, I might take ya up on that offer.

Baja, love the Dyckia plants, they actually do very well here in FL, I have two, they don't mind all our wet humid weather, stay outdoors in all kinds of conditions. Thanks for posting, I forget about my Dyckia being a Bromeliad.

A couple sunlovers, Neo. 'Martin'


Neo. 'Donger'


Neo. 'Carcharodon Rainbow'

Portea petropolitana is full sun and very very hardy, large growing, vicious spines though, mine isn't in bloom or I'd show a photo.
All of my Billbergias are full sun, they need it to color up.
Bromelia balansae is full sun, large growing, but again vicious spines.
Many Neoregelias take full sun here. One is this one, which I have no ID for and can't seem to get one...I believe it is an Aechmea blanchietta hybrid, I bought it from Tropiflora over 10 years ago, beautiful bronzy pink in full sun, very large growing

We moved to Southwest Florida 3 years ago. By August 1st our Lanai will be completed. In the meantime I am dreaming of a landscape plan & have developed an obsession for bromeliads. My back yard faces north and I get the morning sunrise on part of my yard & late afternoon sun on the other side. Once the cage is up I will see how much sun:shade I have to work with. I have planted several containers to experiment what can handle my neglect. The bromeliads win out every time. I will be reading the bromeliad threads To learn how To best prepare my beds. Do they suffer from any pests & disease? Do you keep them in their nursery pot & top dress with mulch or do you plant them in the ground? All advise for creating a bromeliad garden welcome.

I plant most of mine in the ground and a whole lot of them get full sun. In fact there are some that won't color up (like Aechmea blanshettiana and Ae. Red Candles) unless they are in full sun

Welcome to the wonderful 🌍 of Bromeliads Susan!
Gina is right on target with sun conditions. The best coloration is obtained by the majority with the best possible sun conditions. If you are planning on growing them in a screened enclosure you should have no problems with to much sun once you have slowly acclimated them to your growing area.
Many ways to grow the different types of Bromeliads from mounting, inground direct planting to pot culture.
A example of a miniature Neoregelia that hangs out in my southern facing screened pool enclosure. I have this one in a wooden orchid basket growing in lava rock without any soil.


Many experienced Bromeliad growers on this forum to help you with your new found obsession.

Susan, in your zone bromeliads are a great choice. One thing a bromeliad can handle is neglect, and most are pretty cold hardy. I've not had much of a problem with pest, sometimes a bit of scale on an older plant, I've never had any get mealy bugs, as long as they have good air circulation. I guess the biggest problem I have is critters like squirrels, some have had racoons or rabbits get into them. But for the most part they're pest free. Mulch lightly around the base if in the ground, they can get root rot if too much rain and heavy mulch. You can still make the garden beds look nice, just clear the much from around the base of the plant. Our FL sand is great draining so they do well in the ground.

I have lots of plants in pots, and in hanging baskets, well draining potting mix, with our summer rains is important.... Orchid bark gets expensive, but a bag of pine mulch works, I use Flora-mulch found at Lowe's.
Here's good info on potting bromeliads; https://www.bromeliads.info/br...