''Aechmea fasciata'' is a species of

flowering plant Flowering plants are plants that bear flowers and fruits, and form the clade Angiospermae (), commonly called angiosperms. The term "angiosperm" is derived from the Greek words ('container, vessel') and ('seed'), and refers to those plants th ...

in the Bromeliaceae family. It is commonly called the silver vase or urn plant and is native to Brazil. This plant is probably the best known species in this

genus Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms as well as viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus comes above species and below family. In binomial nom ...

, and it is often grown as a

houseplant A houseplant, sometimes known as a pot plant, potted plant, or an indoor plant, is an ornamental plant that is grown indoors. As such, they are found in places like residences and offices, mainly for decorative purposes. Common houseplants are us ...

temperate In geography, the temperate climates of Earth occur in the middle latitudes (23.5° to 66.5° N/S of Equator), which span between the tropics and the polar regions of Earth. These zones generally have wider temperature ranges throughout ...

areas.

Description

The plant grows slowly, reaching in height, with a spread of up to . It has elliptic–oval-shaped leaves long and arranged in a

basal rosette In botany, a rosette is a circular arrangement of leaves or of structures resembling leaves. In flowering plants, rosettes usually sit near the soil. Their structure is an example of a modified stem in which the internode gaps between the lea ...

pattern.

Growing conditions

''Aechmea fasciata'' requires partial shade and a well-drained, but moisture-retentive soil. It can also be grown

epiphytically An epiphyte is an organism that grows on the surface of a plant and derives its moisture and nutrients from the air, rain, water (in marine environments) or from debris accumulating around it. The plants on which epiphytes grow are called phoroph ...

, as, for example, with moss around its roots and wired to rough bark. Root rot can be a problem if the soil is too moist. If potted, the soil should contain ample acidic organic matter. The rosette formed by the leaves should be kept filled with water. Propagation is from side shoots that naturally develop around the base of the main rosette. Scale insects and

mosquito Mosquitoes (or mosquitos) are members of a group of almost 3,600 species of small flies within the family Culicidae (from the Latin ''culex'' meaning " gnat"). The word "mosquito" (formed by ''mosca'' and diminutive ''-ito'') is Spanish for "li ...

s will sometimes breed in the pools of water that are trapped between the leaves.

Toxicity

''Aechmea fasciata'' is listed in the FDA Poisonous Plant Database under the section for "Skin irritating substances in plants" and is known to cause contact dermititis, phytophoto dermatitis, and contact allergy.

Cultivars

References

*
BSI Cultivar Registry
Retrieved 11 October 2009

External links

* * fasciata Flora of Brazil Epiphytes House plants Taxa named by John Gilbert Baker Taxa named by John Lindley {{Aechmea-stub