What is this giant orange bromeliad?

[Sandy Loam 340]

What is this giant orange bromeliad?  Will this species turn green if not planted in the sun?  How cold-hardy is this species?  Thanks.  PS. The photo was taken in Orlando, Florida, USA.

[Darold Petty 3,816]

I am not a Brom person, but here is my guess........Aechmea blanchetiana

..https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/fp014

  

[Silas_Sancona 8,139]

1 hour ago, Darold Petty said:

I am not a Brom person, but here is my guess........Aechmea blanchetiana

..https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/fp014

  

X 2^

[metalfan 899]

1 hour ago, Sandy Loam said:

What is this giant orange bromeliad?  Will this species turn green if not planted in the sun?  How cold-hardy is this species?  Thanks.  PS. The photo was taken in Orlando, Florida, USA.

Yes, Ae. blanchettiana. I am in Gainesville as well and I have several in my yard and around my pool. They do have to be in full blazing hot sun to keep that color. Mine all made it through the 2 nights of 24/25 we had this winter. I have had them out for about 4 years. That is the most cold they have experienced.

[necturus 565]

They can probably take a quick dip down to the low 20s under cover, but in my experience they get frost damage at higher temperatures (around 30). The frost damage doesn't kill them but is disfiguring. They grow out of it by the end of the summer. 

My mother had a huge clump which got nuked in this year's Texas freeze (low of 14). I was hoping they'd leave the underground bits to see if they'd come back from the stems, but they pulled them up.

Definitely worth growing in Gainesville. Worse comes worse, pull them up and throw them in your garage.

[Zoltan 24]

I have that giant bromeliad here in jacksonville.I got the, from Orlando they totally fine here,yes if not planted to sunny place it will be darker color. I seen your comment on Areca palm ,not in North Florida. 

I personally see at usda zone 9 a at St Augustine by alligator farm entrance and also at belive or not .Also all the way NFL Jacksonville at Pulaski rd at church entrance planted right by the building there for over 10 yrs about 12 feet or so tall. They get touch but return.

Do you have any info on D pembana or onilahensis how cold they tolerate or how north they pull trough in N Fl? Please let me know if you have some info.Thank you

Zoltan

[Sandy Loam 340]

Sorry, I do not. 

[Zoltan 24]

thank you