Description
Neoregelia ‘Ruby Throat’ is a small-sized bromeliad hybrid developed by Lisa Vinzant. It produces glossy green leaves decorated with burgundy shades, light red mottling, and random spotting. The inner core of the rosette turns a distinct, deep ruby red, giving the variety its descriptive name. Typically maturing at around 6 to 9 inches across, its modest size, durable growth habit, and wildlife-safe nature make it a perfect fit for humid terrariums and dart frog vivariums.
What’s Included
You will receive one healthy, unpotted baby plant (also called a “pup” or “offset”).
- 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 ‘Ruby Throat’ Happy
Caring for this small tropical plant is simple and straightforward. Follow these basic steps to ensure it keeps its compact shape and best coloration:
- Step 1: Provide bright, strong filtered light.
To preserve the dark burgundy variegation and bring out the deep ruby color in the center cup, Neoregelia ‘Ruby Throat’ requires bright, filtered light. Protect this plant from harsh, direct midday afternoon sun to prevent leaf scorching. If the colors begin to fade or the foliage shifts entirely back to green, gradually move the plant into a brighter spot over a week or two. - 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 are not planting this in soil and choose to grow it mounted instead, you will want to water the whole plant—roots and all—frequently. We recommend watering daily the first couple of months. We have found this helps the roots attach faster. Once they start to attach you should be able to back off the 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.
