Neoregelia carolinae
An ornamental bromeliad in the genus Neoregelia native to southeastern Brazil and cultivated in the USA, with glossy, rosette-forming leaves that blush red at the center before flowering, a water-holding central cup, small flowers with red bracts every 2–3 years, and pups produced after flowering, in tricolor forms.
Common Names
Blushing Bromeliad, Cartwheel Plant, Néorégélie de Caroline, Neoregelie, Nestananas, Argelia, Noeregelia
Summary
Native to Brazil, this epiphytic bromeliad forms a compact rosette of narrow, lance-shaped leaves with a central water-holding cup. The center turns pinkish-red before flowering, and tiny violet flowers appear inside the crown. It is monocarpic, dying after flowering, with offsets forming for propagation. Typical size is about 20 cm tall and 35–60 cm across.
Favorable conditions include warm temperatures of about 18–27°C with bright light and protection from direct midday sun. Water held in the central cup should be refreshed with distilled or rainwater every 4–6 weeks. A well-draining substrate and high humidity support healthy growth. Commonly grown as an indoor decorative plant, it is also suitable for outdoor use in tropical or subtropical climates. After flowering, offsets form and can be separated for propagation.
Lifecycle
Perennial
Height
8-18 inches
Spread
14-24 inches
Hardiness Zones
Zones 10-11
Sunlight Requirements
Ideally partial sun (morning/evening); light shade tolerated.
Soil Type
Well-draining, loose, porous soil
Soil Drainage
Well-drained soil; moist but allowed to dry between waterings.
Soil pH
5.5
Bloom Color
Violet to lavender
Bloom Time
Any time of year
Foliage Color
Glossy green
Fall Foliage Color
Red to pinkish-red
Leaf Lifecycle
Evergreen broadleaf
Growth Rate
Slow-growing
Seasons of Interest
All four seasons
Propagation Methods
Seeds, Division, Cuttings, Offsets (pups)
Attracts Wildlife
Attracts birds, attracts insect pollinators
Taxonomy
- Taxonomic Rank
- Species
- Author
- (Beer) L.B.Sm.
- Publication
- Contr. Gray Herb. 124: 9 (1939)
Superior Taxa
- Kingdom
- Plantae
- Subkingdom
- Pteridobiotina
- Phylum
- Angiosperms
- Order
- Poales
- Family
- Bromeliaceae
- Genus
- Neoregelia
Synonyms
Aregelia carolinae Billbergia meyendorffii Bromelia carolinae Karatas carolinae Karatas meyendorffii Karatas olens Neoregelia carolinae f. tricolor Neoregelia carolinae var. tricolor Regelia meyendorffii Bromelia rhodocincta Neoregelia carolinae f. carolinae Billbergia meyendorfii Karatas meyendorffi Nidularium carolinae Nidularium meyendorffii Regelia meyendorffii