Crazy Bromeliad Tree: Update

There's so much going on with this tree right now! It's got a massive 2'+ airplant, and hundreds of smaller tillandsia airplants of about 15 different varieties, several of which were collected locally.

Sometimes when you have good karma, the plant fairy rewards you. I had been wanting bromeliads really bad. I bought a lot on ebay of 5 different fancy bromeliads. Then, my boyfriend was driving down the road and saw literally dozens of bromeliads dumped in a garbage collection pile! Solid green ones with beautiful red/orange/pink flowers, green ones with red spots, green with red splashes, green/gray with zebra stripes, etc. I can't believe someone would just throw them away! Many of them are on this tree and the rest are around the yard. I'm not sure if I am mounting them correctly but they haven't seemed to die yet, I just tied them on with string and hope they root. Many have pups already. What a lucky find.

The zig-zag cactus and the variegated monstera were from a plant sale at Mount's Botanical Garden. The ferns, snake plant, and oyster plants were stolen from the neighbor's yard. In the background you can see the rooster version of the dutchman's pipevine, which the caterpillars seem to love. The tree is a massive umbrella tree. Lots going on here.

Crazy Airplant/Bromeliad/Orchid Jungle Tree

This is a big umbrella tree that we have been adding to, and it is coming out awesome. It has dozens of varieties of tillandsia airplants, 3 bromeliads, 1 dendrobium orchid, 2 zig zag cactus, spanish moss, etc. Under and around it is a variegated monstera, variegated pothos, ferns, calico vine. I am having fun adding stuff to it, and I am starting another tree as well.

My First Pineapple!

My first pineapple! Several years ago in college, I cut the tops off some store-bought pineapples and planted them. Rather large bromeliads resulted, but no fruit.
This winter we had one of the coldest winters in south Florida, and 2 of my pineapple plants fruited shortly after! Not only that, they are making lots of pups also.

Unfortunately, the bottom of the pineapple had lots of ants and gross scaly-looking flat furry bugs. I brought it in and scrubbed the bottom with boiling hot water but now I am afraid to eat it.

Pineapple

This is a 2-year-old pineapple that has never produced a pineapple. We have several of these. They are enormous, 2'-3' across.

I have heard the secret to getting one of these to fruit is to place it in a garbage bag with a ripe apple, and supposedly the ethylene will induce it to fruit. I have not yet tried this, but I intend to at some point.

Propagation: Easy. Cut the top off a pineapple, remove the excess fruit from the plant, and stick in the soil. Getting it to fruit... not so easy.