This is a rare offering of Ochagavia.  This beautiful Pineapple relative comes from the cool lands of central Chile.  It is a soil-dwelling Bromeliad that makes an exotic, tennis ball-sized cluster of flowers in late summer.  It is said to be cold-hardy down to the low-20s.  There's some uncertainty about the name.  The plant is called "Ochagavia carnea", although it appears to be Ochagavia litoralis.  Either way, it is a choice collector's plant.  Seeds are difficult to germinate, so i offer established plants.

Ochagavia is a terrestrial Bromeliad that forms a rosette of spiny leaves about 10-12 inches long.  Its compact size makes it an excellent potted plant.  Over time, it makes multiple pups, which may be separated once they form roots.  The blooms appear around September here in San Francisco.  The large cluster has lovely pink petals and bracts, and bright orange stamens, which open from the outside of the cluster inward.  The leaves of Ochagavia litoralis are half the length of O. carnea, but the plants are otherwise similar.

The plant comes from a mild climate with cool nights.  I have no information on how it will do in hot areas.  Consider it experimental in areas that regularly get above 85 degrees F (29 C), especially if nights are warm.  It reportedly can handle down to the low 20s (-3 degrees C), although it will be happiest when protected from prolonged frost.  It grows well in a 3-5 gallon pot in ordinary cactus soil.  Avoid letting the soil dry out completely.  It does not mind heavy rainfall provided that it's in fast-draining soil.  Full sun is best, except in hotter conditions, where some afternoon shade may be needed.  In the right conditions, it's an easy, low-maintenance plant.

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