Aechmea purpureorosea Family: Bromeliaceae (170 species) Common Name(s): Match Stick Bromeliad Grown by: David Feix, Berkeley purpureorosea - for color of inflorescence Another colorful tank-type from the Atlantic rain forest of Southern Brazil. The flowers display eyecatching, near-red sepals with pink sepals and deep purply-blue petals. Many of the bromeliads provide visual color far exceeding actual time of flowering. The leaves and/or bracts surrounding the inflorescence will color up long before the flowers open and persists long after the seeds have formed. A good return! Add in the added pizzazz of selections with colored, striped and mottled foliage and who needs flowers? or the colorful berrylike fruit? Photo by Mike Dahlin