Description
Neoregelia ‘Franca’ is a striking variety prized for its clean variegation and intense color contrast. This medium-sized cultivar forms a very full rosette that typically reaches 14 to 16 inches across at maturity. Its broad leaves feature a gorgeous deep green center elegantly framed by crisp, creamy-white margins. When it enters its blooming cycle, the heart of the plant blushes a brilliant, fluorescent hot pink. This variety grows best in bright, filtered light or shadier environments, making it an excellent, low-maintenance choice for indoor spaces, covered patios, or protected tropical landscape beds.
**Plant will ship bare-root**
How to Keep Your Neoregelia ‘Franca’ Happy
Caring for these resilient plants is straightforward. Use these basic guidelines to maintain their sharp white variegation and keep your plant growing strong:
Step 1: Balance their sun exposure. Grow this variety in bright, filtered light or shadier environments. Always protect it from intense, direct full sun to prevent leaf burn and damage to the variegated foliage.
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!
