Aechmea ‘Blue Tango’

Kingdom	Plantae	Plants, but not fungi, lichens, or algae
Subkingdom	Tracheobionta	Vascular plants—plants with a “circulatory system” for delivering water and nutrients
Division	Magnoliophyta	Flowering plants, also known as angiosperms
Class	Liliopsida	Monocots (plants with a single seed leaf); includes the lily family
Subclass	Zingiberidae	Gingers and related plants
Order	Bromeliales	Bromeliads: tropical plants adapted to limited water, often epiphytes
Family	Bromeliaceae	Bromelias: tropical and subtropical plants, the best known being pineapple
Genus	Aechmea	Name means “spear” in Greek
Cultivar	‘Blue Tango’

About plant names...

This is a cultivated variety of a bromeliad, created by crossing Aechmea dichlamydea var. trinitensis and A. fendleri. They prefer indirect light and loose, moist, humusy soil, fluffed up with sphagnum moss or bark chips. They tolerate both slightly acidic and slightly alkaline soils.

Plants: Called “urn plants” because their leaves form a natural vase that retains rainwater as a hedge against drought, members of the Aechmea genus are up to 18-30" (45-76 cm) high and 24-36" (60-91 cm) around. They are epiphytes, able to grow on moss-covered trees.

Leaves: Leaves are basal, straplike and sharp-tipped, and yellow-green in color. They are up to 30" (76 cm) long and 2" (5 cm) wide.

Flowers: Blooms are brilliant blue-violet flowers jutting from pink and purple primary bracts (modified leaves). Blooms are up to 18" (45 cm) long, and can last from March to October. After blooming, the plants typically decline.

Online References:

Aechmea ‘Blue Tango’ on www.chicagobotanic.org

Aechmea ‘Blue Tango’ on www.pslbg.org

Aechmea ‘Blue Tango’ on registry.bsi.org

Aechmea ‘Blue Tango’ on Wikipedia

Aechmea ‘Blue Tango’ description by Thomas H. Kent, last updated 29 Aug 2021.

4/10/2015 · Naples Botanical Garden, Naples, Florida
≈ 12 × 8" (31 × 21 cm)

4/10/2015 · Naples Botanical Garden, Naples, Florida
≈ 16 × 24" (39 × 59 cm)