Bromelia pinguin is one of the spiniest, nastiest plants you can grow. The leaves are heavily armed with sharp, hooked spines. It is also ver tolerable and will grow in sun or shade and is totally drought tolerant and thrives in good soil or beach sand. It is also one of the hardiest bromeliads tolerating into the low 20sF. In Central and South America it is often planted as livestock barriers. The plants spread by stolons and make impenetrable masses. It is native from northern Mexico to Colombia and in the Caribbean.

It is very spectacular when it flowers. And often it sets edible fruit.

Love to eat that

Steve

Eric Beautiful plants thanks for posting I have these in Jax --- I have about 10 in a shaded over grown area --- I got these 33 years ago from a rental house Ilived in that had a whole front yard of them blooming. These plants survived all the freezes of the 80s probably saw 10 F. Thanks for posting Best regards Ed

Wow, that is stunning! I've given away all the most vicious bromeliads though, beautiful or not. Just too painful to 'encounter' them in a small garden.

I don't grow that Bromelia but have a variegated clump of B. serra that's also very attractive.

Would these do well potted?

I have some cats that try to eat anything not caged up...

I would imagine it would grow well in a container, just put it in a big one.

I can't imagine a cat trying to eat anything so thorny! But yes, nearly all bromeliads do well in containers.

When my parents first move to Orlando there was a clump of this bromeliad and some spiny Cereus and Opuntia cactus in the screened enclosure by the pool. We had a pet rabbit and he ate all three and also ate the leaves and spiny petioles from young Livistona rotundifolia and L. chinensis.

Do you have any spare pups? I'd pay postage or trade.

Just when you thought it safe to go back into the brom garden, along comes Bromelia "Killer" balansae with golden orb spider support. Word is, these guys are used to keep out cattle in the top end of OZ. Armed like a white pointer, be afraid, be very afraid.

My latest addition to my brom collection.

Do you have any spare pups? I'd pay postage or trade.

I will watch for when the new stolons come out. We keep our clumps small as they can easily take over a good sized are very quickly if not controlled.