Light. Full sun to partial shade.
Water. Water now and then into the center of the rosette. Never leave the soil soggy. It is very drought tolerant and handles humidity.
Soil and feeding. It grows in most well-drained soils, mildly acidic to mildly alkaline. Never put fertilizer in the cup, where salts can burn new leaves.
Size. Grows to about 3 ft, sometimes 4 ft.
Problems to watch. Fairly pest resistant, but mealybugs or scale show up now and then; spray with Insecticidal Soap. Flush the cup weekly in the rainy season to wash out mosquito larvae.
Good to know. Resistant to salt spray. Its spineless leaves turn silvery blue as they mature. After 3–5 years it sends up a 5–8 ft spike of fragrant yellow flowers, then dies and leaves pups.
Sources: Port St. Lucie Botanical Gardens: Odorata Bromeliad · UF/IFAS EDIS ENH1150/EP337: Bromeliads
