Neoregelias are probably the most popular bromeliads amongst Queensland collectors. In this article, 25 miniature neoregelias are described, although there are over 100 more from which to choose.

The plants are mainly grown for their foliage, as the inflorescence usually consists of a cluster of blue or white petalled flowers, in the middle of the plant’s “tank”, which is formed by the plant’s central leaves. The tank stores water, which helps the plant meet its moisture requirements.

Miniature neoregelias typically have an erect rosette formed by 10 or so leaves, all of which have very small spines on their margins. Many of the ones grown today have attractively – marked and coloured foliage throughout their life.

These neoregelias grow well in small pots. The containers should have a diameter of around 10 cm. Potting mixtures used successfully include:

 Well composted pine bark to which a continuous release, over a period of nine months or more, fertiliser such as Nutricote or Osmocote is added when the plants/pups are potted; and
 A mixture of 2 parts Peatmoss or Cocopeat combined with 1 part coarse sand. Add slow release (over a period of nine months or more) Nutricote or Osmocote to this mixture.

Many people suspend the pots in the air by using plastic hangers. This saves scarce shadehouse space and also enables you to see the sunlight shining through the plant’s leaves. This outcome often accentuates the leaves’ attractive markings. These plants will, in many cases, also grow well on logs and stumps. They can be glued on, or tied into position using cable ties or old stockings.

Care should be taken in applying liquid fertiliser, as excessive fertilisation can result in the plants lose their symmetrical shape and, to some extent, their colouration. If applying liquid fertilisers, a brand such as Phostrogen ( N:P:K ratio is 14 : 4.4 : 22.5), which has relatively low amounts of nitrogen in it, may give the best results.

In southern coastal Queensland, these plants grow well under 50% “density” shade cloth in Autumn, Winter, and early Spring and 75% shade cloth for the remainder of the year. Alternatively, they will grow quite well in lightly shaded positions in the garden, but it is important to avoid locations which receive the full afternoon sun (especially in summer).

The only pest which may cause some problems is scale. This can be treated by using an insecticide such as Folimat. Avoid spraying the plants when the temperature exceeds 30 degrees Celsius, otherwise leaf “burning” may occur (although such incidents are rare).

These plants readily produce pups which will produce flowering plants in 12 to 24 months time. While pups can be removed from their “parent” when they are about one half of its height, a more visually appealing effect can often be obtained by allowing the plants to form a clump.

Pups can be potted straight into any of the potting mixtures described previously. Ensure the mixture holds the pup firmly in position, as this helps promote rapid growth.

The plants should be watered at least twice a week from October to March, and once a week for the balance of the year.

The plants described in the balance of this article have mainly been grown in “strong” light and with little fertiliser. Plants grown in more shade, and heavily fertilised, will be larger and have less intense leaf colouration.

‘Alley Cat’ Around 10, 2 cm wide, leaves form an erect rosette approximately 10 cm high and 15 cm wide. The yellow-green leaves have brown-red barring of varying widths.

ampullacae About 6, 2 cm wide, leaves form an erect rosette around 10 cm high and 15 cm wide. The green leaves have red-purple spotting, which is particularly pronounced towards the plant’s centre. This species has been widely used in hybridising.

ampullacae ‘purple’ About 6, 2cm wide, leaves form an erect rosette around 15 cm high and 10 cm wide. The red-purple leaves have green spotting and “splotching”, especially towards their tips.

‘Aurora’ Around 10, 2cm wide, leaves form an erect rosette about 15 cm high and 20cm wide. In strong light, the leaves are black, with green spots and markings. In more shade, the black colouration turns to green. This is a particularly striking plant.

‘Avalanche’ Around 10, 2 cm wide, leaves form an erect rosette about 10 cm high and 20 cm wide. The yellow-green leaves have brown-red spotting.

‘Black Beauty’ About 10, 2cm wide leaves form an erect rosette about 15 cm high and wide. The leaves’ green colouration is almost obscured by black-purple spots, barring and markings.

‘Cheers’ Around 10, 2 cm wide, leaves form an erect rosette about 15 cm high and wide. The yellow-green leaves have brown-red spotting, with their tips being brown-red as well.

‘Coral Fire’ About 10, 2 cm wide, leaves form an erect rosette about 15 cm high and 20 cm wide. The yellow-green leaves have brown-red spotting.

‘Fireball’ Around 10, 2 cm wide, leaves form an erect rosette about 10 cm high and 15 cm wide. In strong light, the leaves are bright red, while in heavy shade they are green. There are variegated forms of this plant.

This is a very hardy plant, which rapidly forms a clump. As a matter of interest, it may actually be an undescribed species, rather than a hybrid.

‘Gold Nugget’ About 10, 2 cm wide, leaves form an erect rosette about 15 cm high and wide. The yellow-green leaves have faint, brown-red barring.

lilliputiana Around 10, 1 cm wide, leaves form an erect rosette about 7 cm high and wide. The yellow-green leaves have brown-red spotting and faint barring. Quite a few of the newer miniature neoregelia hybrids have this species as one of their parents.

lilliputiana x ‘Fireball’ About 10, 1 cm wide, leaves form an erect rosette approximately 10 cm high and wide. The leaves are yellow/brown-red in colour, with scattered brown-red spotting.

‘Night Spot’ Around 10, 1 cm wide, leaves form an erect rosette about 10 cm high and wide. The green leaves have brown-red spots.

pauciflora About 10, 2 cm wide, leaves form an erect rosette about 15 cm high and 20 cm wide. The pale green leaves have a “light” silvery “scurf” on their upper and lower surfaces, as well as brown-red spotting.

This is a distinctive plant, which is often grown to good effect on a log or stump. Over time, the plants cascade down over the log/stump, creating an impressive display. As there may be over 50 plants in such a clump, it can take more than five years to achieve the desired effect.

There is a “large” form of this species. It is about twice the height of the plant described above.

‘Pheasant’ Around 10, 2 cm wide, leaves form an erect rosette, about 15 cm high and wide. In strong light, the older leaves turn brown-red, while the younger leaves are brown-red with yellow-green barring and splotching.

punctatissima Around 10, 1 cm wide, leaves form an erect rosette about 10 cm high and wide. The yellow-green leaves have brown-red barring and spotting.

punctatssima ‘rubra’ Similar to punctatissima, with the exception that the leaves are light brown-red, rather than yellow-green.

‘Red Nugget’ Around 10, 2 cm wide, leaves an erect rosette about 15 cm high and wide. The leaves are yellow/brown-red, with irregular brown-red barring.

‘Red Waif’ About 10, 2 cm wide, leaves form an initially erect rosette, which “flattens out” in its upper half. The rosette is about 8 cm high and 15 cm wide. Prolific brown-red spotting and markings nearly obscure the “background” yellow-green leaf colouration.

‘Ritzy’ About 15, 2 cm wide, leaves form an erect rosette about 10 cm high and 15 cm wide. The yellow-green leaves have brown-red spotting and barring, particularly in the plant’s centre.

‘Sugar n Spice’ Around 10, 2 cm wide, leaves form an erect rosette about 10 cm high and 15 cm wide. The yellow-green leaves have red spotting and markings, as well as red tips.

‘Tiger Cub’ About 10, 2 cm wide, leaves form an erect rosette about 10 cm high and wide. The yellow-green leaves have brown-red banding on their lower, and to a lesser extent their upper, surfaces. They also have brown-red spotting.

‘Turmoil’ Around 15, 2 cm wide, leaves form an erect rosette about 10 cm high and wide. The light green leaves have red tips, and irregular red banding, particularly on the younger leaves.

‘Wee Willy’ About 15, 2 cm wide, leaves form an erect rosette about 10 cm high and wide. The green leaves have irregular, brown-red bands and splotching.

‘Wild Tiger’ Around 10, 2 cm wide, leaves form an erect rosette about 10 cm high and wide. The brown-red leaves have irregular green banding and splotches.

Acknowledgements I thank Doug Upton for taking the photographs used to illustrate this article, and Olive Trevor for supplying many of the photographed plants.

Bob Reilly

Author contact details: Email bob.reilly@nrm.qld.gov.au Phone (07) 3870 8029.