Alcantarea vinicolor is a large bromeliad originating from Brazil.
They are very hardy plants, they will tolerate full sun, cool nights and irregular water supply.
They grow equally well in gardens or in containers on highly exposed apartment balconies.
Alcantareae vinicolor is a high impact plant. It is smaller than A.imperialis but no less spectacular with a base of deep red leaves growing to up to 1.0m wide.
The strap-like leaves are wide and corrugated with a smooth margin.
The foliage tend to become a deeper red when grown in full sun and greener when grown in the shade.
The plant takes many years to flower when it does, it produces a tall flower spike with racemes of pale peach coloured flowers growing from each bract.
The flowers spike can last for many months.