Episode: Eight
Date: 26th April 2008
Presenter: Neville Passmore    
Story Title: Bromeliads   
                                          
With Australian cities becoming bigger it seems more and more people are adapting to lifestyles that don’t include backyards or spare time. Though that doesn’t mean you have to cut plants out of your life all together. Indoor plants are a fantastic way to create a relaxing and productive atmosphere in your own home.  They take out nasty chemicals in the air and they add to a nice living feature in your home. But don’t stress we have some varieties that are low maintenance too!

Featured Plant- Aechmea (gamosepela)  

• A genus of nearly 200 species of rosette-forming, often rhizomatous, mostly epiphytic, evergreen peranials deriving from the rainforests of South Mexico, Cenral America, South America and the West Indies
• This particular species is an epiphytic or terrestrial perennial with erect, funnel shaped rosettes of broadly, strap shaped, bright green leaves that are 25-55cm long, grey scaly beneath, with rounded, spiny tips
• In summer it bears cylindrical inflorescences that are 25cm long, flowers are 1.5cm long with pale blue or purple petals, red or pink sepals and reddish brown bracts
• They also bear spherical, rose-pink fruit that are 50cm high and 60cm wide