[GrowRR] Alcantarea

[Ken Marks]

Andrew Devonshire wrote:

> I am currently preparing an area for planting out Alcantarea imperialis, A
> glaziouana, & A vinicolor. The area will also feature Viresea
> philippo-coburgii.
> Site is a sloping clay bank, with north western aspect. I plan to prepare
> site over next couple of months, & add plants during our spring, say, late
> September, early October.
> 
> My questions are:
> 
> 1. Are the Alcantarea OK in large pots, or should they be planted out.

Here in south Florida. I've got mine planted in a mulch bed in the 
waterfall area of my pool enclosure. I know someone nearby who has grown 
their Alcantareas in large pots for years. One of their plants finally 
bloomed last year after about a decade. It had a 3 meter bloom spike!

> 2. What is the best soil mix to use for growing Alcantarea.

Keep in mind that most Alcantarea come from the rocky cliffs above 
places like Rio de Janeiro. I would go for a coarse, well-draining mix 
that you might use for other large bromeliads. I've had friends who 
planted them too deep and had rotting problems on the lower leaves. To 
save them, they dug them up and propped them upright between stones or 
in a bucket with nothing around their roots. While they aired out and 
hardened off, they did just fine growing this way for a number of 
months. I suspect that you could wedge any of the species in this genus 
bare-root between rocks for support and they would do fine. They are 
such slow growers, however, that speeding them along by allowing them to 
grow a decent root system in a well-drained mix seems prudent.

> 3. Do Alcantarea repsond best to liquid feeding, or a slow release
> fertiliser.

I would use some time-release fertilizer in or on the potting mix. If 
you want to foliar feed with some liquid fertilizer, I'd use 1/2 to 1/4 
the recommended concentration and see how your plants respond. Keep in 
mind that if you have any of the colored Alcantareas, excessive 
fertilizer might turn the plant's color towards the green palette.

> 4. Will V philippo-coburgii need any different treatment.

As far as I know this species (being a Vriesea and not the splinter 
group Alcantarea) would prefer more diffuse light instead of the bright 
light to full sun that brings out the best growth form for the larger 
Alcantareas.


Hope this helps,


Ken Marks
BSI Webmaster