Aechmea 'Black Jack' is grown for its narrow, strap-like, glossy leaves that are very dark red, almost black. The foliage tends to be a bit floppy, so it needs to be grown in a container or set atop a rock. The flowers, spikes of orange bracts with blue flowers, are not produced in abundance. Bromeliads are tropical American succulent plants that grow on tree branches or tucked into crevices of moist cliffs. They grow in rosettes, with stiff leaves radiating from the center. Plants in the tropical American genus Aechmea are called vase plants or urn plants. Their curved leaves collect water and can be home to aquatic insects and microorganisms. Plants take several years to flower and will usually decline after the long-lasting blooms fade, but they can be restarted from “pups”: small side shoots. They like filtered light and loose soil mixed with small bark chips to increase porosity.