If you're looking for a native plant, one that can provide brilliant colour, that thrives in all types of light (including varieties that thrive in full shade and full sun), indoors and out, and that's drought tolerant and low maintenance to boot, consider bromeliads...
Drought Tolerant Plant: Bromeliads
Pineapple is one well-known variety, another is Spanish Moss. What links them together are tiny scales on their leaves, called trichomes, which act as a water-absorption system, reduce water loss and shield the plant from solar radiation. Perfect for a Southwestern garden, where water is at a premium, bromeliads store their own water. In fact, the roots serve as little more than anchors; many varieties thrive hanging from trees! Individual plants bloom once and then slowly die, producing "pups," which, once they set roots of their own, can be separated to form a new plant. Start with one and before long, you'll have an entire garden of bromeliads. For more information, click here and
here
Other plant posts
[Image: Elvissa's Flickr, with a Creative Commons License]
Comments (3)
AT Daily Email
Top House Tours
Top Posts
Links
design
friends
more friends
- craftster.org
- idealbite.com
- kfreshdesigns
- designboner
- fototiller
- design-milk
- allthatanda
- decor8
- miapartamento
- silkfeltsoil
- home rejuvenation
- clothes-pin
- sfgirlbybay
- tyson williams
- Happy mundane
- fabulously green
- charles and hudson
- grass roots modern
- ikeahacker
- eatdrinknbmerry
- covetable
- uberreview
- crunch22
- modernflat
- modcottage
- shelterrific
- this old house
- modern-roost
- pallapalla
- anticssoblonde
- elaine vigneault
- Kitchen Spotlight: Open Storage in Small Kitchens
- Win this Chef's Knife and Sharpening Strap from Vessel!
- The Cook's Guide to an Easy, Elegant Holiday Table
- Win this Dune Oval French Oven from Le Creuset!
- Kitchen Tips from a Project Runway Star, Pies Galore, a Vintage Kitchen and a Scrumptious Turkey Sandwich
Copyright © 2008 Apartment Therapy
I wouldn't say all of them, or even most of them, are perfect for a Southwestern garden. Many - especially those without much by the way of roots - require quite a bit of humidity to fill their water needs. They were wonderful plants but do your research on the particular variety you want before committing.
view whytephoenix's profile
Bromiliads are bitchin'. Many of them thrive in full shade, they aren't fussy about water (since they have their own little reservoirs), the flowers are stunning and they have a modern architectural quality. All this and they're very easy to grow!
view Blandwagon's profile
Bromeliads are amazing plants-- colorful, resilient, interesting-- my entire backyard is a bromeliad/tillandsia/cycad wonderland. Go to www.rainforestflora.com for the best source to buy bromeliads. If you are in Los Angeles, check out their retail greenhouse in Torrance, it is AMAZING!!
view Kendra Robinson's profile