The Fascicularia bicolor, or hardy bromeliad (also known as the crimson bromeliad), is one of the most exotic-looking plants you can grow outdoors in Britain. It forms an architectural evergreen rosette of narrow, spiny, silver-green leaves, and as late summer arrives the whole centre flushes vivid crimson while a cluster of powder-blue flowers opens deep inside the rosette. It is a true bromeliad from Chile, yet tough enough for a hot, sharply drained, sheltered spot or a large pot, and it revels in mild coastal gardens.Rated RHS H3, this is a borderline-hardy exotic rather than a fully hardy one, and understanding why matters. Frost by itself seldom does the damage; it is a cold, wet winter that catches it out. Waterlogged soil, and rain pooling in the rosette, will rot the plant well before frost does, so sharp winter drainage is essential. Grown on a sunny bank, in a gravel garden or in a pot of gritty compost, it comes through UK winters far better than its tropical looks suggest. In colder or wetter gardens, keep it in a container so you can move it under cover for the worst of the wet.Water through the first summer or two to establish, then leave it largely to its own devices, as mature clumps are impressively drought tolerant and thrive in a hot, dry corner. Its low, spiny rosette makes superb architectural foliage for a dry or gravel garden, and its salt tolerance suits it to coastal and exposed gardens. It is equally happy in a container: grow it in a pot of gritty compost that you can move into the rain shadow of a wall for winter. Pair it with other hardy exotics such as our Trachycarpus fortunei for a bold, jungle-meets-Mediterranean scheme, and read our guide on what to expect from hardy exotics through the seasons.Every Fascicularia bicolor we supply is nursery-grown, selected for a healthy, well-coloured rosette and a strong root system, and packed with care to arrive in superb condition.
