{"id":4745,"date":"2025-10-13T18:09:39","date_gmt":"2025-10-14T01:09:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wrwofficial.com\/index.php\/2025\/10\/13\/learn-how-to-grow-dyckia-bromeliads\/"},"modified":"2025-10-13T18:09:44","modified_gmt":"2025-10-14T01:09:44","slug":"learn-how-to-grow-dyckia-bromeliads","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wrwofficial.com\/index.php\/2025\/10\/13\/learn-how-to-grow-dyckia-bromeliads\/","title":{"rendered":"Learn How to Grow Dyckia Bromeliads"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Fertilizing<\/h3>\n

There\u2019s no need to fertilize in-ground plants unless they are growing slowly then you can feed once in spring and once in late summer with a cactus and succulent fertilizer.<\/p>\n

Container-grown specimens benefit from an application of fertilizer in spring and late summer.<\/p>\n

Species and Cultivars<\/h2>\n

I can\u2019t even begin to cover all of the incredible hybrids, cultivars, and species that are available.<\/p>\n

I highly recommend heading to your local nursery and see if they have any. If they do, it will likely include the first plant on our list:<\/p>\n

Arizona<\/h3>\n

One of the most popular hybrids is the 18-inch-wide \u2018Arizona,\u2019 with its dark blue-green leaves dotted with white spikes on the margins.<\/p>\n

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\"A<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

It\u2019s often the one that stores will carry, and is the parent of so many other fantastic hybrids, including \u2018Feather Star\u2019 and \u2018White Fang.\u2019<\/p>\n

\u2018Arizona\u2019 was bred by Bill Baker, who was an avid plant hunter and nurseryman. He created numerous hybrids, some of which are the most popular and respected out there.<\/p>\n

Dawsonii<\/h3>\n

The bronze leaves of D. dawsonii<\/em> are lined with hooked spines on plants that can grow up to a foot wide, producing yellow-orange flowers.<\/p>\n

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With a little extra sun, the leaves can even turn dark purple. The species is fairly rare in cultivation, but there are several cultivars and hybrids.<\/p>\n

\u2018Brittle Star\u2019 is a Bill Baker hybrid that\u2019s wildly popular and takes after its dawsonii parent with dark purple, nearly black leaves. It also has D. fosteriana<\/em> and D. platyphylla<\/em> parentage.<\/p>\n

Delicata<\/h3>\n

My heartfelt thanks goes out to the botanists who found D. delicata<\/em> species in the high altitudes of southern Brazil in 1996. This is such a cool species.<\/p>\n

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The foliage forms a compact rosette, with leaves that curl downward into a spiky little orb. The tips of the leaves can even dig into the soil or hang below the rim of a container.<\/p>\n

Foliage can be green, red, or gray, all covered in silver flocking. There\u2019s also a striking gold form with yellow-gold foliage.<\/p>\n

The long, pointed spines might look intimidating, but they\u2019re surprisingly soft to the touch. Go ahead, this is one dyckia you can safely pet.<\/p>\n

Fosteriana<\/h3>\n

This species has narrow, silvery-white leaves accented by heaps and heaps of spines along the edges. The leaves are exceptionally curvy and can drape below the rim if you grow it in a pot.<\/p>\n

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The plants stay small, growing to just about eight inches tall and a bit wider when mature. Another check in the \u201cgood for container cultivation\u201d column.<\/p>\n

They\u2019re quick to mature and send out offsets, so you\u2019ll be enjoying clusters of these plants in no time.<\/p>\n

Look for varieties like nivosa<\/em>, which matures at just about five inches across, or the rubra<\/em> form, which turns a deep burgundy in bright light.<\/p>\n

Goehringii<\/h3>\n

If you like your plants to be vicious, this species is for you. The margins of the leaves are lined with spines, and those spines are hooked at the ends.<\/p>\n

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Want to keep kids, pets, or pests out of the garden? Like the look of what one bromeliad forum user called \u201ca bouquet full of razor wire?\u201d Goehringii<\/em> it is.<\/p>\n

This species is also a good option if you want to propagate the pups.<\/p>\n

They emerge on short stolons that hold the offsets away from the base of the mother plant, rather than clustered tightly around it.<\/p>\n

Pineapple<\/h3>\n

Pineapple dyckia (D. brevifolia<\/em>) certainly bears a resemblance to the plant from which it derives its common name. It has the same type of green, strappy leaves that give it a familiar look.<\/p>\n

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One notable hybrid is \u2018Naked Lady,\u2019 a cross between D. brevifolia<\/em> and D. encholirioides<\/em>. It features pale green to yellow foliage and grows up to a foot tall and even wider.<\/p>\n

Since it lacks spines, this one is a good option for growing as a houseplant or for placing in high-traffic areas.<\/p>\n

White<\/h3>\n

The botanical name D. marnier-lapostollei<\/em> may be a mouthful, but the plant itself is undeniably stunning.<\/p>\n

It has small, claw-like spines along the margins of gray-green leaves that appear nearly white thanks to a heavy coating of trichomes.<\/p>\n

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The leaves are deeply curved, often curling back beneath themselves or dipping below the rim of a container. They\u2019re lined with spines that are relatively soft.<\/p>\n

At maturity, the plant reaches about a foot tall and wide and produces flower spikes up to two feet tall topped with orange blooms. It grows well even in partial shade.<\/p>\n

The species was named after Julien Marnier-Lapostolle of Grand Marnier liqueur fame, as the plant was discovered growing on one of his estates.<\/p>\n

Wide Leaf<\/h3>\n

Known as wide-leaf dyckia, D. platyphylla<\/em> has broader leaves than many other species, though each still tapers to a point.<\/p>\n

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The foliage is covered in stubby but sharp spines and dotted with silvery scales. In bright sun, the leaves can take on a bronze, red, or purple hue.<\/p>\n

At maturity, plants reach about a foot tall and up to two feet wide, sending up tall stalks of yellow flowers.<\/p>\n

To be perfectly accurate, it\u2019s not entirely clear whether this plant is a true species or a hybrid. It was first described in 1970 by botanist and bromeliad expert Lyman Bradford Smith, based on a specimen collected by Bateman Foster.<\/p>\n

But it has never been rediscovered in the wild, and some experts suspect it may be a hybrid.<\/p>\n

The hybrid \u2018Cherry Coke\u2019 inherits its glossy leaves from D. platyphylla<\/em>, while D. fosteriana<\/em> contributes its tendency to shift color in the sun.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n