Dyckia leptostachya

Dyckia leptostachya is a spring-blooming bromeliad that has thick, succulent leaves with an attractive reddish tint. The margins are armored with small sharp spines pointing outward.

 Individual plants are about 18 inches across, but they pup freely and form large clumps with time.

Flower spikes appear in mid to late spring from the base of the plant, rather than from the center. This allows the rosette to continue growing after flowering, unlike most bromeliad genera.

The yellow flowers are quite showy as they open in sequence from the bottom of the stalk to the top.

The inflorescence eventually reaches a height of about 3 feet.

Dark brown, three-sectioned seed pods develop from most of the flowers.

When these are mature they split open to reveal a multitude of dry papery seeds that are scattered by the wind.

Dyckia leptostachya grows well in full sun to light shade. Temperatures as low as 26° F can be tolerated for short periods of time without damage.

Next up: Growing Dyckia from seed