Carol Cloud Bailey
Family
Bromeliaceae
Botanical Name
ALCANTAREA odorata
Plant Common Name
Alcantarea, Fragrant Alcantarea
Special Notice
This entry has yet to be reviewed and approved by L2G editors.
General Description
No tropical garden is complete without a fragrant alcantarea! Larger than a bushel basket, the rosette of strappy light green and silver-banded leaves eventually forms a towering red flower stalk with canary yellow flowers. This evergreen perennial bromeliad is a lithophyte (growing among and upon rocks) native to the montane cliffs in extreme southeastern Brazil.
Each pointed, strappy leaf is light green to silver with phantom bandings. It tapers to a soft point while the base of the leaf congregates with others to form pockets that collect water, dust and leaf debris for nourishment. With age, a mature plant begins to produce one or two small pup plants at its base. In late spring it will begin to send up a leafy, sturdy red stalk that by early summer will display long stems of red rigid bracts (modified leaves) that yield the slender, tubular yellow flowers with fragrance. The long-lasting flower stalk is tremendously beautiful and eye-catching as it resembles an ornate chandelier on a stick. Once flowering ends, the plant will degrade and eventually die, allowing the young pup offshoots to replace it.
Grow fragrant alcantarea in full sun to light dappled shade in a coarse, well-draining soil or gravel/rocky soil with organic matter. Make sure the leaf bases have water in them at all times. It is slow growing so consider its visual foliage mass when designing for its use in the mixed tropical border. It is also well-suited for a large container. Across the day the color of the foliage ranges from green to silver to steel blue, and is exquisite with juxtaposed dark background foliage.
Characteristics
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AHS Heat Zone
12 - 8
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USDA Hardiness Zone
10 - 12
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Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 22, 23, 24
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Plant Type
Tender Perennial
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Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial Shade
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Height
3'-5' / 0.9m - 1.5m
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Width
4'-6' / 1.2m - 1.8m
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Bloom Time
Late Spring, Early Summer, Summer
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Native To
Brazil
Growing Conditions
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Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
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Soil Drainage
Well Drained
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Soil type
Sand
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Growth Rate
Slow
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Water Requirements
Average Water
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Habit
Rosette/Stemless
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Seasonal Interest
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Ornamental Features
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Flower Interest
Showy
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Flower Color
Lemon Yellow
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Fruit Color
Red
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Foliage Color (Spring)
Light Green, Silver
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Foliage Color (Spring) Modifier
Striped/Striated
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Foliage Color (Summer)
Light Green, Silver
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Foliage Color (Summer) Modifier
Striped/Striated
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Foliage Color (Fall)
Light Green, Silver
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Foliage Color (Fall) Modifier
Striped/Striated
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Foliage Color (Winter)
Light Green, Silver
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Foliage Color (Winter) Modifier
Striped/Striated
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Fragrant Flowers
Yes
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Fragrant Fruit
No
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Fragrant Foliage
No
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Bark or Stem Fragrant
No
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Flower Petal Number
Single
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Repeat Bloomer
No
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Showy Fruit
Yes
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Edible Fruit
No
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Showy Foliage
Yes
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Foliage Texture
Bold
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Foliage Sheen
Matte
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Evergreen
Yes
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Showy Bark
No
Special Characteristics
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Usage
Container, Feature Plant, Foundation, Mixed Border, Rock Garden / Wall, Tropical
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Sharp or Has Thorns
No
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Invasive
No
