The MGS Forum
Plants for mediterranean gardens => Perennials => Topic started by: John on September 10, 2011, 10:44:26 PM
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Fascicularia bicolor is in full flower at the moment. It has amazing really blue flowers surrounded by reddened bracts. The flowers are incredibly fleeting each lasting only a couple of days but at it's best it is quite stunning. I presume that it will do quite well in the Med but maybe not as it is one of the hardiest Bromeliads. It never sets seed so maybe two clones are needed. Propagation is dead easy just by breaking up a clump into all the offsets. The rosette that flowers dies afterwards.
Though you would expect such a prickly leafed plant to be left alone we have had problems with voles which love the leaves.
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Does anybody grow this in a mediterranean-type climate? I am about to try with a couple of cuttings taken from a plant grown in my sister's garden in Leeds, UK. After 7 years there I am frightened Italian sun may be a bit of a shock to its system.
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I have no experience with this, but if you look at this site: http://www.burncoose.co.uk/site/content.cfm?ref=Fascicularia+Growing+Guide, it seems as if it should do well in a mediterranean climate.
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Thanks for the link. I have read quite a bit about it on various sites but they all say one thing that can't be accurate. I am afraid the a partly shaded area of a garden in northern England, subject to heavy rain, frost and the massive chill of last winter according to the experts should have seen the end of my sister's plant. Although the plant has never turned red or produced flowers it has grown from one small rosette to several very large ones. So I am not really sure whether I should put it in full sun or afternoon shade. I have one large rosette and one small one so I can experiment a little. I'll let you know how I get on :-)
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Brought from England in autumn, looking good in an afternoon sun position in spring, dead as a dodo by mid-summer with weekly irrigation. Following a long tradition of plants brought from the north.
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Useful info, Think I will go for the same spot where I put my sedums. A couple of hours of morning sun and then they are shaded by the gazebo. Sedums do very well there. I have nothing to lose . Thanks everybody.