Plant of the month: Fascicularia bicolor

This striking evergreen plant belongs to the pineapple family, Bromeliaceae, and is endemic to Chile. It is one of the hardiest bromeliads in the world and it thrives under the mild cool climate typical of Inverewe. It can be a relatively long-living plant. Indeed, we found historical records indicating one was planted at Inverewe before 1957!

Its genus name, Fascicularia, in Latin means ‘clustered together in bundles’. This describes well the growth habit of this plant, as its spiny slender foliage forms mounds of rosettes. In summer (specifically late summer at Inverewe), the centre of these rosettes reveals a dense cluster of pale sky-blue flowers with bright yellow stamens. At this time, the innermost leaves of the rosettes turn from green to scarlet, hence the species name ‘bicolor’. The red foliage serves to attract pollinators, which in the native areas of this plant include hummingbirds. All in all, a stunning colour contrast that cannot be easily forgotten!

It’s understandable why some call this plant ‘baboon’s bottom’. During our time at Inverewe, many visitors asked us its name; we quite enjoyed seeing their reaction after we told them this funny name, which perhaps they’ll find more memorable than its Latin one.

Experts believe that there are two subspecies of Fascicularia bicolor:

1. F. bicolor subsp. bicolor, which is mostly associated with coastal rocky ground.
2. F. bicolor subsp. canaliculata, formerly known as F. pitcairnifolia. It is found in rainforests as an epiphyte, meaning it grows on trees, not feeding off them but just using them to support itself high up in the forest canopy. It has an important role in supporting forest biodiversity as it provides habitat for many insects.

Both subspecies of Fascicularia are present at Inverewe, growing at ground level. The main distinguishing factor between the two forms is leaf shape: F. bicolor subsp. bicolor has wider (up to 2.5cm) and shorter (up to 0.5m) leaves with margins not recurved. In contrast, F. bicolor subsp. canaliculata has thinner (up to 1.5cm) and longer leaves (up to 1m) with recurved margins.

If you happen to visit Inverewe during September, make sure to look for the different Fascicularias in the garden. Why not even try to identify the exact subspecies?