Horticulture Highlight : Holiday Plants at Nicholas Conservatory

By Sylvie Charest, Horticulture Supervisor

Since 2013, we have been designing our indoor 10-foot holiday tree with tropical bromeliads for a tropical twist on holiday tradition. Not only do bromeliads enjoy our tropical climate inside the conservatory, but they are also long-lasting and much easier to water on the angled tree frame than the traditional poinsettias that tend to dry out easily.

Here are the bromeliads featured in this year’s tree:

Pineapple (Ananas comosus): Did you know this favorite fruit is a bromeliad? Originating in South America, pineapple was cultivated by the Maya and Aztec as far back as 200 BC!

Guzmania: Native to South America, these tropical beauties are epiphytic plants, meaning they live up in the trees getting nutrients and water from the air. Their brightly colored bracts grow in a beautiful rosette.

Vriesea: Another epiphytic species, Vriesea originated in Mexico and the Central and South Americas. This species is often called the “sword plant” because of its tall flat flower spike.

Neoregelia: This epiphytic flowering bromeliad hides little flowers in the central calyx. Leaves are often spotted, banded, or marbled, giving them lots of color and character.

Aechmea: Originating from the Amazon rainforest, Aechmea in Greek means, “armed with a spear,” describing their colorful pokey flowers.

Tillandsia: Native to both deserts and rainforest all the way up and down the west coast of South America, Tillandsia live entirely off nutrients and moisture in the air in their native habitats. You may see them commonly in garden centers as “air plants.”

After the holidays, we repurpose the bromeliads by planting them in the conservatory beds for long-lasting (and economical!) color. Some bromeliads are “retired” and go to the Garden Gate Gift store where you can take home your very own colorful and hardy houseplant!

Each year, I add new textures and colors into the design of the holiday tree and the décor in the conservatory. This season, we have utilized local natural elements such as sand willow branches from Nygren Wetlands* and grapevines from Rockford Park District parks* and Forest Hills Country Club,* which are shaped into orbs big and small. More traditional poinsettias and amaryllis will round out this year’s traditional, natural look fashioned for a tropical conservatory.

*All materials were taken with permission from owners.