Queens Tears

 

 Queens Tears - Bilbergia nutans

Queens Tears are a practically indestructible bromeliad (think pineapple) which can be grown indoors as a houseplant or outdoors like the one seen below. Each spring they produce these hot pink spikes from out of which drop the pink, blue, and yellow "tears". Sometimes right before your eyes! Unlike other bromeliads, they don't require any special conditions to cause them to bloom.

After blooming, each plant then puts out numerous new side shoots, creating the mound your see above. And these new shoots will in turn bloom as well. They can take some sun for a few hours in the morning or afternoon, they can handle the heat as well as temperatures near or just below freezing. They do best if provided with quality planting mix, regular watering, and feeding. But they can literally grow without soil and endure long periods without water.

Best of all in my book?  The deer do not eat them!

When you first plant the shoots, they might need some support if they are big ones, until they grow some roots.  It is best to use a smaller container at first so the soil will not stay too wet too long in-between watering or they could rot.  Bromeliads do not grow as rapidly as most other plants, but once they are rooted, and have bloomed their first time, they will divide quickly.

Did you know you can grow pineapples from the tops of pineapples?  Just cut a cone down a bit into the fruit when you are removing the top.  Then let it set aside until the fruit and bottom leaves have dried up.  Gently peel off the dried lower leaves and you should see bumps along the core where roots will form.  Like the Queens Tears, you have to be careful not to over water them or they too will rot instead of grow.