I recently acquired some fabric called Tropical Fantasy. It features animals lurking in palm trees and giant teapots. I believe this vase fits quite well into that theme. Many bromeliad flowers are the embodiment of a tropical fantasy. I get a head shaking moment every now and then in the garden and ask myself “is that a flower or what?”
Our rainy season is taking a long holiday from precipitation. Scorched is the new normal as temperatures have been over 90 (32C) for the past few weeks. The good news is the humidity dropped. The bad news is this is making the orchids very unhappy. I can’t get enough water on them and have had to pull some up to get them out of the sun. I can’t recall ever having crispy brown orchids.
The components:
This is the appropriately named “Fantasia” Aechmea Bromeliad. The foliage is a sawtooth edged silvery grey with pink undertones, pretty fantastic.
These flowers are from two different Aechmea blanchetiana bromeliads. Red stemmed flowers are from the raspberry cultivar and the yellow one is from lemon. The foliage is red or yellow tinged in these two varieties. The Blanchetiana comes in a number of colors, one called iced tea due to the foliage color. These are stunning in the sun. Foliage in the vase is prunings from Dracaena reflexa. These used to be called Pleomele, I think. The one in my garden is (or was!) about 15 feet tall. It was growing over the bottom of the roof so I trimmed it back.
That’s all from the slow simmer setting in South Florida. Thanks to Cathy for hosting our weekly vase adventure into other gardens and climates. To see more vases follow this link RamblingintheGarden.
The Shrub Queen 
Dracaena reflexa? I had to look that one up also. Actually, I have seen it before. I thought that it might be some sort of pandan. Is pandan popular there?
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I think the Dracaenas were popular in malls in the 80s. They grow with very little light. We have Pandanus here, Tree form and weird creeping shrub thing. I rarely see the fruit.
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Gosh, my first thoughts about your vase was that it had an almost meancingly Triffid-like look to it – is it just me?!! 😀At least we haven’t had temperatures in the 30s for a few weeks here.but I am sorry it is resulting in scorched plants for you, Amelia. Your bromeliads are such curious plants and it says a lot that they still surprise you too!
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I had to look up triffids. I think that is another UK thing. They look like Corpse flowers to me. The bromeliad flowers are crunchy and kind of waxy, but this vase is kind of fluffy in real life. It finally is raining!
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Isn’t Day of the Triffids a universally known film?
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I don’t think so. I asked my husband, the movie buff, and he had never heard of it. Little shop of horrors is the closest thing here.
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Early 60s I believe – not sure I have ever actually seen it though
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I’ll have to see if it is streaming somewhere..
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It wasn’t a recommendation though!!
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I envy you the dramatic bromeliad flowers, Amelia. While I have some bromeliads in my own garden, I’ve seldom seen any blooms. I’m sorry to hear you’re experiencing such hot, dry weather even if it’s provided relief from the humidity.
https://krispgarden.blogspot.com/
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Thanks, Kris.
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‘Fantasia’ is a very special focal point, and the other elements are graceful companions. Very nice. We were having high 80s and 90s for a while, too, with high humidity. But now we’re having a very pleasant break with daytime temps in the high 70s and low 80s (and lows in the 50s and 60s!). More heat coming for the weeks ahead, but it’s been nice to have a break. ‘Tropical Fantasy’ sounds like the perfect name for your arrangement. 🙂
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Thanks, Beth. Your weather sounds wonderful!
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I immediately thought how appropraite your title was today, and even more so when I saw the lovely flower that dominates is called Fantasia. I do love seeing all your flowers each week Amelia – so different to what we grow here and I am constantly learning! I am visiting our local (very small!) botanical garden tomorrow, and their greenhouses are full of plants that would like your humidity. 😃
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Thanks, Cathy. I hope you enjoyed your visit with humidity
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The weather has been so different this year. Your poor orchids. I’m in the NE and we are having Canadian smoke again.
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Ugh, well, better hot than hurricanes! It seems like a lot of wildfires this year.
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The ‘Fantasia’ blooms look like a sci-fi crab, waving its claws. 🙂
What is worse, heat or humidity? Tough call!
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Humidity! I have expertise..
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I have to agree. We heading into another hot spell, but the humidity will drop by late morning, until Thurs. when a front will build to storms and humidity. It if has to be hot, I’d prefer it dry as well.
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Fantasia is certainly a weird looking plant. It looks like some strange sea creature. You have an amazing collection of bromeliads.
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You should see the rest of it! The foliage is a pink nearly metallic silver grey.
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I really like the photo of the up close photo of the Fantasia bloom, it is really nice.
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