12 Best Full Sun Bromeliads

Want to give a tropical touch to your garden? Check out these Best Full Sun Bromeliads that’ll add a splash of color to your green bed!

Bromeliads are popular for their exotic foliage and excellent heat-tolerant abilities. They thrive in tropical and sub-tropical climates, which comprise USDA Zones 9-11, and can be an alluring addition to your backyard! Check out these Best Full Sun Bromeliads that can add a pop of colors to your garden!

Here are the best Bromeliads you can grow indoors 

Best Full Sun Bromeliads

Though bromeliads are drought and heat tolerant, do make sure that you are not exposing them to the harsh afternoon sun for long hours. These plants will be more than happy to bask in the direct morning sun for 2-3 hours. 

1. Aechmea blanchetiana

USDA Zones: 9-11

Blanchet’s Aechmea is a full sun bromeliad with bright yellow-orange foliage and a red tip. Exotic red flower stalks emerge right from the center during Spring. These large plants can grow up to 3-5 feet high and 2-3 feet wide.

Growing Tip: Grows best in moisture-retentive yet well-drained soil.

2. Alcantarea imperialis

USDA Zones: 8-11

This Brazilian native bears a sturdy red flower stalk lined with clusters of ivory blooms. The plant is very showy and grows upto 3-5 feet tall when fully matured.

Growing Tip: Prefers well-drained loamy soil.

3. Ananas ananassoides

USDA Zones: 10-11

Dwarf Pineapple bears little cylindrical fruits on a long and thin peduncle, at the end of the flowering season in early summer. It can be a wonderful addition to your garden for sure!

Growing Tip: Loves well-drained sandy soil

4. Ananas cosomus

USDA Zones: 10-12

One of the best varieties of full sun bromeliads, Pineapple has spiky, thick, and long leaves that form a tight rosette that thrives in filtered full sunlight.

Growing Tip: Loves moist acidic soil and humid conditions

5. Acanthostachys strobilacea

USDA Zones: 9-11

Pinecone Bromeliad has long, pendant, and grooved leaves. It produces red pine-cone-like fruits during the summer. The plant grows upto a height of 2-4 feet.

Growing Tip: Prefers extremely well-drained potting mix

6. Aechmea mulfordii

USDA Zones: 9-11

The living vase bromelia has green, purple to burgundy-colored leaves arranged in a rosette form. Tall and erect stalks emerge from the center of the rosette, comprising little flowers with yellow bracts.

Growing Tip: Loves well-drained soil

7. Aechmea orlandiana

USDA Zones: 9-11

Native to Southern Brazil, it has green and white leaves with pink-red stripes and speckles. Mature plants form a fiery red flower stalk with a clustered head of red bracts from which the light yellow flowers emerge.

Growing Tip: Thrives in well-drained porous potting mix

8. Vriesea corcovadensis

USDA Zones: 9-10

A unique full sun bromeliad with bright red flowers on long stalks, and pointed leaves of golden-tinted-green to purplish-red with black undertone.

Growing Tip: Grows best in a fertilized potting mix of bark, peat moss, and perlite

9. Hohenbergia castellanosii

USDA Zones: 9–11

Hohenbergia Castellanos has broad leaves that are bright green initially but get a bright red hue from the tips when flowering. It grows up to 3-4 feet tall.

Growing Tip: Loves well-drained coarse sandy soil

10. Portea alatisepala

USDA Zones: 19b-11

Another beautiful full sun bromeliad with hot pink flowers with vivid blue petals! The plant will provide a long-lasting color through the late summer and fall.

Growing Tip: Grows best in well-drained acidic soil

11. Cryptanthus

USDA Zones: 9-11

Coming in a range of different colors and shades, this is one of the most beautiful types of bromeliads you can grow.

Growing Tip: Avoid overwatering and use a well-draining soil

12. Aechmea

USDA Zones: 9-12

With boldly variegated leaves and bright flowers, this one will surely add a lot of color to your garden! Aechmea orlandiana and Aechmea ‘Black Chantinii’  are the best ones to grow!

Growing Tip: Keep it where it can get lots of bright indirect light for more flowers!