Description
Another longtime Florida landscape favorite. The Neoregelia ‘Fireball’ is considered a compact or mini, easy-to-grow clustering bromeliad featuring a fun rosette of bright red foliage. Once established it spreads easily via horizontal runners, making it an exceptional choice for ground cover, hanging baskets, vivariums, terrariums, or mounting on driftwood and trees. For the absolute best look and most intense coloration, grow this versatile accent plant in very bright filtered light, though it can also be gradually acclimated to handle most full sun conditions.
**Plant will ship bare-root and will include at least 3 offsets**
How to Keep Your Neoregelia ‘Fireball’ Happy
Caring for these tough tropical beauties is incredibly easy! Just follow these simple steps to keep them thriving and beautifully colored:
- Step 1: Balance their sun exposure. To lock in its best look and brightest red foliage, Neoregelia ‘Fireball’ prefers very bright filtered light. However, it is quite versatile and can be gradually acclimated to handle full sun. Avoid sudden moves into harsh, unfiltered midday sunlight to protect its leaves from scorching. If transitioning your plant from a shaded environment to a brighter spot, introduce it to the light incrementally over a couple of weeks to safely build up its brilliant coloration!
- Step 2: Water the central cup. Instead of watering the soil, pour clean water directly into the center “tank” or cup of the plant. Because sun exposure evaporates water a bit faster, check the cup regularly to ensure it stays filled, and flush it out every couple of weeks with fresh water to keep it clean.
- Step 3: Keep the soil lightly damp. Occasionally give the soil some water just to keep it from drying out completely. Make sure your pots have excellent drainage so the roots never sit in soggy mud. If you are planting them directly in the ground, be sure to choose an area with great drainage where the soil won’t stay wet.
- Step 4: Keep it warm. This tropical plant loves warmth. If you are growing it outdoors, to be safe just remember to bring it inside if the temperature drops below 50°F (10°C) or protect it from the cold or frost as much as possible.
- Step 5: Fertilize sparingly (or not at all). We recommend using a well-balanced, slow-release fertilizer just once or twice a year. Be careful, though—too much fertilizer or nitrogen will cause the plant to lose its vibrant color and become leggy and stretched-out looking. In fact, some growers prefer not to fertilize at all to get the very best color from the plant!
