Aechmea ‘Perez’
by Ross Stenhouse

In 1945, Mulford Foster crossed Aechmea racinae with Aechmea victoriana var discolor to produce Aechmea ‘Fosters Favorite’. This original crossing has produced a profusion of cultivars and hybrids, both by Foster and others. One of these hybrids is Aechmea ‘Perez’ and is the subject of the photographic series below.

Aechmea ‘Perez’ has the inflorescence pendant (hanging down from its support) and the leaves are a all over deep red. This changes slightly as the leaves age; they get traces of green appearing in them.

Other hybrids produced from that original crossing (or by people repeating it) are Aechmea ‘Black Jack’ and Aechmea ‘Fosters Favorite Favorite’ and Aechmea ‘Red Ribbon’. “Black Jack’ and ‘Perez’ appear to be very similar and I would be interested if someone would contact me and point out the difference. Aechmea ‘Fosters Favorite Favorite’ is a variegated plant and from the photographs I have seen, the ovaries appear to have retained, through to maturity, the yellow as seen in the immature ovaries of ‘Perez’. The petals seem to be the same colour as in ‘Perez’.

What I found interesting about growing this plant is the way the ovaries on inflorescence change colour during the maturing process. They start out tightly clustered and are a very strong yellow and keep this form for about two weeks. They then become loosely clustered change to a bright red and finally to a dull red and maintain this form for a considerable amount of time. The flowers are fairly small with three petals. The petals have a strong blue colour with a thin light grey edge.
There is a final stage of the maturing of the ovaries which I have not shown in the photographic sequence. In this stage, the flowers close up and become thin stalk-like with a deep red colour matching the leaves. The ovaries become an extremely deep dark red colour. This form seems to last for a considerable time. Visually this form is not particularly interesting.
The breeding from Aechmea victoriana var discolor is very obvious in the mature ovaries. The pendant nature in the inflorescence appears to come from Aechmea racinae.

I particularly liked the flower with it’s three petals. The strappy nature of the leaves in my specimen initially hid from me the interest of the inflorescence. It’s a plant that needs to be grown in a cluster for best effect and it’s deep red colour adds contrast in a see of green. Had I had a cluster I would have preferred to use it in my illustration photo.
More on Aechmea ‘Perez’ may be found in an article published by Derek Butcher under “Uncle Derek Says “ on the following URL http://fcbs.org/butcher/A_Fosters_Favorite.htm.