Hi Stephania - I don't grow "spiney's" as my skin can't handle them, but that doesn't stop me still admiring them, and especially your wonderful on-going photographic record of the plants you grow.

This one is really something special and thanks for sharing it with us.

All the best, Nev

What a beautiful plant and your photography is excellent especially on the close-ups. I find it interesting that this plant has somewhat similar raised markings on the leaves and appearance as Cryptanthus warasii. How do you care for it--soil, water, light, fertilizer, etc?

Since so many of us have problems growing Crypt warasii, I'm curious if similar cultural conditions would apply to both plants. Perhaps we should be treating Crypt warasii more like Brom flemingii than we do other crypts? Do you think that the two are more closely related than other Bromeliad genus?

That's a lovely plant, Chanin! I usually stay away from Bromelias (except for B. scarlatina) because of the size, but this one looks fairly manageable. How wide across is that? I'll add it to my wish list.

@(^_^)@ Thanks friends

Nev, that why I could not resist loving them!

Oh my...Cache, you have given me a good idea to cross it with Crypt. Ha Ha..
Actually, the mother nature is always wondering. While I visited South Africa
years ago the guide told me that "Cape Dassie" (Rock Hyrax)
-a little cute Guinea Pig-like mammal- is an elephan relative!
Bromelia and Cryptanthus might be closer than we though.

Fortunately, I'm in tropical zone, so there is no low temp. problem here.
I use the same mix to grow all my xeric brom...
: 2 parts of small pellet Indonesian pumice
: 2 parts of perlite
: 1 part of garden soil (mix of loam with leaf-mould)

Though Crypt. warasii seem to be a xeric type, but I found most Crypt.
including Crypt. warasii need more shade than those tough Bromelia.
I've kept my Crypt. under big tree where receive 50% morning sun for 4-5 hours.
I water my Crypt. nearly every day and feed them with "Osmocote"

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While these tough guys, Bromelia, Encholirium and others spiney's
do enjoy nearly a whole day direct tropical sun.

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Hi Lisa, this guy has the same size of ordinary Neos, 1.5 foot in diam.
HDD told me that normally it will turn pinky-bronze in your cold
and imagine that if it got variegated Ha ha...
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Mighty nice plant Chanin. What are the grayish A. fasciata - like plants in the lower left in the 4th photo from the bottom? I take it that it's a wide-leaf form of Crypt?

Hi Gonz, you are right, it's Cryptanthus argyrophyllus.

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