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Do People Eat Bromeliads?
Do People Eat Bromeliads?. Bromeliads (Bromeliaceae family, genus varies) display a striking range of size, color and growing habit. Although bromeliads are widely grown as houseplants and garden ornamentals, the vast majority of them are not edible. Pineapple (Ananas comosus), which can grow in the home garden in warm-enough locations, is the lone...
Bromeliads (Bromeliaceae family, genus varies) display a striking range of size, color and growing habit. Although bromeliads are widely grown as houseplants and garden ornamentals, the vast majority of them are not edible. Pineapple (Ananas comosus), which can grow in the home garden in warm-enough locations, is the lone exception to this rule.
Identification
Bromeliads are an extremely wide-ranging group of plants, native to the American tropics. The most commonly grown bromeliads in the United States are those that display striking flower and foliage color, with distinct waxy blooms in bright shades, such as scarlet star (Guzmania lingulata), winter hardy in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 10 through 12. The two best-known bromeliads are Spanish moss (Tillandsia usneoides), winter hardy in USDA zones 8 through 11, and pineapple, winter hardy in USDA zones 11 and 12.
The Edible Bromeliad
Pineapples are the only edible bromeliad available today. Because it is extremely rare for bromeliads to produce edible fruit, the pineapple is a novelty in the plant world. It is actually the result of several fruits growing together, evidenced by its scales, which show where each flower used to be. Because we eat pineapples for their lush, sweet, tropical taste, only pick pineapples once they are fully ripe. If picked when underripe, pineapples will not continue to ripen further.
Bromeliad Adaptations
Bromeliads are generally considered low-maintenance and simple to grow. They are usually epiphytes, which means their exposed roots are adapted to draw nutrients and moisture from the air around them. These plants usually attach to trees via root structures. Other plants are adapted to growing on rocks, while still others grow from the ground. Most bromeliads are adapted to porous soil that will allow their roots contact with air, and low water conditions that simulate the misty rainforests in which they originated. Oftentimes, bromeliads die after flowering and fruiting, but not always.
Uses
In addition to the widely used pineapple, which is grown almost solely for its edible nature, many bromeliads are sold as houseplants and garden ornamentals. Many bromeliads grow well at the temperatures common inside a home, and furnished with bright windows and low to medium amounts of water, they make lovely interior or greenhouse plants. Other species, depending on where you live and their hardiness range, make dramatic additions to the garden.
