Description
Neoregelia rubrifolia is a fantastic miniature species originally native to Brazil. This mini variety is stoloniferous, meaning it sends out short runners to rapidly produce new offsets and form dense, attractive clusters. Individual rosettes form a tight, stiff cup that reaches a compact width of just 6 to 7 inches. Its upright leaves display a light green base heavily marked with deep maroon horizontal banding, which transitions into an intense, deep orange-red coloration under bright light. Notably, it stands as one of the most sun-hardy mini bromeliads available, making its durable, petite frame an exceptional choice for terrariums, vivariums, hanging baskets, or mounting directly onto driftwood.
What’s Included
You will receive one healthy, unpotted baby plant (also called a “pup” or “offset”).
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- Size: It will be roughly one-third to one-half the size of a full-grown plant.
- Shipping condition: It ships bare-root, meaning it will arrive safely wrapped without a pot or soil, ready for you to plant or mount immediately.
How to Keep Your Neoregelia rubrifolia Happy
Caring for this unique tropical plant is very straightforward. Follow these simple steps to keep your clumping variety healthy and well-colored:
Step 1: Provide bright, filtered light.
Grow this variety in anything from bright filtered light to full sun layouts. This exceptionally sun-hardy mini plant thrives with high-intensity light exposure, which maximizes its deep red-orange base color and sharpens the maroon banding. Avoid sudden exposure to intense, unshaded afternoon sun to prevent initial leaf scorch, as it handles high light best once it has been properly acclimated.
Step 2: Water the central cup.
Whether your plant is grown in soil or mounted, 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: Choose your growing method (Soil or Mounted).
- If planting in pots: Make sure your pots have excellent drainage so the roots never sit in soggy mud. Occasionally give the soil some water just to keep it from drying out completely.
- If planting in the ground: Be sure to choose an area with great drainage where the soil won’t stay wet.
- If mounting (on a tree or driftwood): If you choose to grow it mounted instead of planting in soil, water the whole plant—roots and all—frequently. We recommend watering daily for the first couple of months to help the roots attach faster. Once they start to attach, you can back off watering to every 2 or 3 days. If growing in a terrarium or vivarium that requires one or more mists a day, that should be just fine. Because it lacks soil to retain ambient moisture, keeping the roots hydrated and maintaining water in the central cup is critical.
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).
- For soil-grown plants: 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!
- For mounted plants: If you choose to grow your plant mounted on a tree or driftwood, we do not recommend fertilizing at all.
