Aechmea is a genus that belongs to the family Bromeliaceae, including about 50 evergreen species, almost all epiphytic. Most are grown Aechmea fulgens and Aechmea fasciata.

Species of Aechmea are originating from Brazil, Paraguay, Honduras.

Genus Aechmea include herbaceous plants, 30 cm high and 60 cm in diameter, leaves meat, just thorns in the side or end, arranged in rosettes. When plants are adults, they produce rosettes in the center wearing a floral stalka large blossom-shaped stem. Small flowers, celestial, covered with thorny pink bracts. Fruit is a Baca. The device is much reduced drastically.

Aechmea monocarpice are species that thrive once.

Plants found in the trade is already blooming or going to flourish, die after a few months, but give to the stem side shoots that bloom transplant after 2-3 years. Flowering is unlikely in the apartment, needing strong lighting and high ambient humidity.

Ideal temperature is around 15-20° C. During the winter should not fall below 10.11 C. Not tolerate air currents.

They need a substrate rich in humus, porous form the roots of ferns, pine needles, leaves and a little sandy soil. Soil pH should be around 5-5,6. Vessels should be small, the limit of staylished the plant. It uses well-balanced fertilizer that would contain both macro-and nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), potassium (K), and trace elements magnesium (Mg), iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), boron (B), molybdenum (Mo), all very important for a balanced growth of the plant.

It fertilizeaza bisaptamanal with liquid fertilizer, which never apply in "boat" form of rosette leaves. In full winter fertilizeaza not.

Adapters plants may be the end of winter, considering that die anyway in two years of prosperity.

The wet moderately but frequently, in the way that land always be wet. Every 3-4 weeks, changing water in the central cavity of the leaf.

These plants do not love limestone and cold water, so it is better to use demineralized water, rain water or boiled water with few drops of vinegar and cooled before use.

Is multiplied tesc by the drajonii from the plant, when they reached 1 / 3 the size of the mother plant. With 2 weeks before taking drajonilor must put water in "ship" in the center leaves. Place in pots of 10-12 cm in diameter with a layer of gravel on the bottom and a layer of peat and sand in equal parts, the watering and maintained in full light but protected from direct sun, keeping the ground wet.

Multiplication through seeds can be done if the plant has been pollinated artificially. Sowing is done in crates, the substrate of peat or soil cold and rasarirea occurs at 2-4 weeks, at a temperature of 25 C. Plants obtained from seeds will bloom barely after 5-6 years.

They require bright locations in full sun, ambient temperature, isolated, or in combination with other species such as Ficus, Philodendron, Aphelandra, or plants that bloom in winter, Cyclamen and Euphorbia pulcherrima. And the tree trunk with other bromelii.

If the plant blooms and is not "age", are you sure I have provided the conditions of light, humidity, optimum temperature and fertilizers can do so: put the plant in a transparent plastic bag with an apple mature and close the bag. Keep the plant in the bag for a week. Careful not to make treatment plants have not reached the third year of life, and not be small because it would damage the plant.

If mildew in the leaves and flowers, the ground may be too much water or too cold. Remove watercontainer and let dry land, reduce watering.

If the leaves are discolored appearance may be a sign of excessive drought of the air. Put the plant in a container with pebbles and water, but water does not touch bottom.

Source www.agraria.org, www.elicriso.it, it.wikipedia.org