Fascicularia pitcairniifolia

crimson bromeliad, puñeñe, chupón, or chupalla
Tough bromeliad for sun or shade, forms clumps. Select rosettes blaze scarlet in summer-fall with purple blossoms at center. Nice under oaks, in pots, on rocky slopes, by the sea.
synonyms Fascicularia bicolor
height 1–3ft
width 2–3ft
tolerates Coast, Cold, Cool Summers, Drought, Deer , Fog, Pots, Rooftops, Neglect, Salt, Wind
water
needs		 Low
water
info		 Ensure good drainage. Allow to dry out between waterings. It may be beneficial to wet the foliage, especially when the soil is hard to reach.

May need no supplemental irrigation in coastal California once established, especially in foggy areas. They will however look better and grow faster if they are given occasional supplemental water in the dry season.

Native to the Mediterranean climate zone of Chile, this succulent bromeliad tolerates our summer drought, especially in coastal areas.

They will need more summer irrigation in warm, dry places away from the coast.
hardy
to		 15F
exposure Full Shade – Full Sun
indoor
outdoor		 Outdoor
drainage In Ground: Cactus Mix, In Pots: Cactus Mix, Tolerates Sandy Soil
fertilizing Acid 1/2 Strength, Low Needs
origin Central Chile
california
native		 No
sunset
zones		 5, 6, 8, 9, 14–17, 21–H1

Sunset Zones Map

Outdoor Exposure Guide

Growing Notes

Considered the most cold-hardy of bromeliads, this genus is popular in southwest England and the Côté Ouest of France, as well as in coastal Northern California and even Oregon and Washington.
Try perching this workhorse plant on cliffs, rocky slopes, atop rock walls, anywhere soil is limited.It’s perfectly happy in well-drained soil, too. Quite self-sufficient, even prolific, where fog drip waters it in summertime, as under oaks or eucalyptus by the coast, where it can expand into a large-scale groundcover.
One of our favorite sights of this plant is perched on top of a planter wall where its always-surprising blaze of scarlet leaves and blue-purple flowers from summer into fall catches the eye and the attention of hummingbirds.

Special Interest

Reputedly, the ripe fruits of this pineapple relative are edible and sweet.

More Info

May bloom more readily where winters are cooler and summers mild.