No-fuss, no-muss, front-yard gorgeous

In the supermarket, it's in the form of the common pineapple, which is the fruit of a bromeliad. Bromeliad flowers, those tropical-looking colorful spikes that make wonderful long-lasting arrangements, keep company with carnations, astromerias and mums in area florists' shops. Spanish moss, a soft, grayish shawl of a plant, can be found draped in the branches of oak trees around town. Bromeliads in planters add life and color to low-light offices and shopping malls.

We're fortunate that this wildly diverse family of plants is at home in our back yards. In fact, the Everglades shelters some 16 native species, although many more come from Central and South America.

Their resilience and adaptability have served them well, allowing them to adapt to niches in the rain forest, desert environments and swamps. They perch on the branches of trees (epiphytes), cling to rocks (saxicolous) and grow on the forest or desert floors (terrestrial).

Their successful adaptation is mainly due to the tiny scales on their leaves called trichomes, which serve as a super-efficient absorption system. When wet, the scales separate to allow water to collect on the leaf surface. When dry, they shut down to protect the water reservoir. In the dry season, those that have cups in the center of the leaf rosette are natural sources of water for wildlife.

When planted in a suitable place in the home landscape, bromeliad hybrids offer a big bang for the buck: an amazing diversity of color and shape in exchange for little or no fuss. Easy care and drought tolerance make the plants stars of Florida-friendly gardens. For ideas, the place to see them used in gardens is in the Sarasota-based Selby Botanical Garden, which boasts a world-renowned collection of bromeliads (www.selby.org). Veteran gardeners know that bromeliads in the landscaping are not new to Florida. In the early 20th century, botanist Henry Nehrling worked with them in his botanical park that was to eventually become Naples' zoo, Caribbean Gardens. Mulford Foster of Orlando, who discovered and introduced many bromeliads, brought them to popularity in the 1950s.

Bromeliads, especially the aechmeas, guzmanias, and neoregelias, have found a place in natural landscape designs, low-maintenance commercial planting, and along highways and road medians. All three types have leaves wrapped rosette-fashion around the stem. The most popular achemeas have dusty gray striped leaves and a bright pink flower at the top of a spike. Guzmanias offer green upright foliage with boldly colored flower spikes. The smaller neoregelias are less upright in stature and have eye-catching color and variation in their leaves. The flower is inconspicuous.

The key to using them in the home landscape is to find the right light, according to expert Robb Ross of Gulf Coast Bromeliads, a wholesale grower in Bonita Springs. Depending on the species, you can plant them in full sun to shade.

The rule of thumb is that plants with thick, stiff leaves should be able to tolerate more light, although observation is probably the best teacher. The colorful neoregelia and aechmeas, for instance, can take more light than guzmanias or vresias, which are soft and spineless.

An easy way to grow them is to staple or attach them to a branch or tree trunk. Growing them on a tree or in the saddle of a palm does no harm to the host. These bromeliads gather nutrients from rainwater and leaf litter. The ability to take nutrition and moisture from the atmosphere has earned them the name "air plants."

In a pot, bromeliads like a soiless potting mix that drains quickly. Wherever they go, sharp drainage is essential, as wet soil will cause plants to rot. Fertilizing is minimal. Excess fertilizer will turn a colorful plant green.

Removing pups on bromeliads often induces the dying shoot to produce more pups, which may also be removed. If allowed to remain, they colonize or spread in an easily manageable way (no machetes needed).

The bromeliad family contains nearly 3,000 species. The diversity is immense. For instance, bromeliads range from tiny to giant. The smallest plant measures 1 inch, the largest, 10 feet across. The leaf varies from needle-thin to broad and flat, symmetrical to odd, soft to spiky. Flowers can be borne on huge spikes that are branched or simple, or the flowers may nestle inconspicuously in the leaves.

Most fascinating is the range of colors and patterns bromeliads offer. Colors range from gold, various shades of green, to wine and deep maroon. Variegation can be white, cream, yellow, and even red. Leaves can be banded, silver, maroon, or black. Patterns include spotting red, cream, or purple. Some plants have a different color on the underside of the leaf than on top.

The biggest hurdle in using bromeliads in your yard has nothing to do with the plant itself but its limited availability. Much like native plants, retail availability hasn't caught up with the need. One reason given is the damage caused by Hurricane Andrew to south Florida commercial production. In the meantime, the gardener's best bet is the periodic sales that bromeliad societies offer such as the one in Fort Myers Nov. 8 and 9.

The upcoming sale and show by the Caloosahatchee Bromeliad Society of Southwest Florida is a good opportunity to see the diversity of size, color, and shape, as well as a chance to buy from local growers. (See sidebar for details.) It's the largest club sale in Florida, according to Brian Weber, past president of the society.

Monthly meetings of the society are at 2 p.m. on third Sunday of the month in the Garden Center building in front of Lee Memorial Hospital. Workshops are usually prior to the meetings. Yearly membership costs $15 (individual); $20 (family). For information about the society, call (239)997-6392.

For more information about bromeliads and events, contact the Florida Council of Bromeliad Societies, www.fcbs.org.