Kat2

I've been watching the "weeds" at a flea market in Cocoa. Lovely morning glories plus a few others. But this sword type plant has fascinated me for weeks. Today we both saw something very odd. Ron thought someone had spray painted plants like when they mark underground wires and such. Nope. They're in bloom! Didn't catch those pretty flowers very well in this shot but the RED is obvious.



No, I won't bring my shovel and dig some babies unless I have permission. Perhaps I shouldn't if they're very invasive. (Yankee Ivy and Pachysandra are awful nuisances.) Guess I need to know what they are before I plan a future excavation. Surely someone here knows...

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mjc

It looks like it is some Ananas (pineapple) to me. Possibly, Ananas comosus (the one we eat), although most of the more recent commercial varieties aren't quite as 'saw-toothed'. There has been, in the past, commercial production of pineapples in Florida...and it is a 'garden' plant, so escapes are not unexpected.

Kegas76

https://www.google.com/#q=Bromelia+balansae

I did a google search of your image which gave me 3-5 images that looked like the same plant. The first few images gave wrong names for the plant (google searches of that name gave a different plant) but the third image that looked like your plant said it was "Bromelia balansae". Once again I did a search for the name provided by the site with the photo and this time the search gave confirmation photos.

Google Images search

Heart Of Fire. Heart Of Flame. - Bromelia balansaes

Plant Profile: Heart of Flame (Bromelia Balansae) - "the fruits of the plant are edible and can be used to make juice"

UFL-IFAS: Bromelia balansae (PDF 52 KB)

Dave's Garden: Bromelia Bromeliad, Heart of Flame, Heart of Fire, Pinuela - "By the way, this plant produces absolutely delicious fruit that look something like apricots. I like it better than pineapple."

Please note: the Google Image search provides two alternative name searches which look very similar, check those out and compare to what you saw personally.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bromelia_humilis might be an alternative, like you said hard to see the flowers.

Kat2

MJC, get thee to the member introduction section and let us welcome you! My unexpected sweetheart is from the Weirton area. How we landed, independently of each other, in FL is astounding.

Kegas, you nailed it! These beautiful plants are growing in "no man's land" and surviving our drought with no issues; I'm sure they're considered weeds. Guess I'm going to ask permission to dig up some smaller plants. I do know that the spines are treacherous and even the babies are very well rooted. (I do admit thinking I'd just snatch a little one...um, no.)

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mjc

I should...

beam2050

shame, shame, shame.

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npk of wood ash 0/1/3 to 0/3/7

npk of banana leaf ash 1.75/0.75/0.5

Kegas76

Keep an eye on that one that is flowering right now. See if it makes any fruit.

gnappi

I would as would most if not all of the members here. :-)

beam2050

didn't see me do it.

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npk of wood ash 0/1/3 to 0/3/7

npk of banana leaf ash 1.75/0.75/0.5

sputinc7

If it is in "no man's land", who is there to ask or complain? Get one.

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If you lose your head and give up, you neither live nor win.

https://sputinc7.wixsite.com/covwc

Varieties I supposedly bought: Manzano, Cavendish, Blue Java, Sweetheart, and Gros Michel.
What it seems I actually have: Brazilian, Cavendish, Namwah, Dwarf Red, Gros Michel, Pisang Ceylon, Veinte Cohol and SH 3640, and American Goldfinger. FHIA 1, Paggi and FHIA 17... Always room for one more.

Kat2

I got one kinda on Wednesday. One tiny root attached to not much plant but I'll see if she'll grow.

I'm taking a shovel next week. Why? Because someone is dumping sand in the area and burying the plants so I know they are not desired. I'll only take 1/2 or fewer of the small ones so think I'll end up with about 3 or 4. Very deep roots and very treacherous leaves. (The center easily pulled out of the one I was digging; the majority of it was at least 6" in the "ground" (sand). Center pulling out is like a pineapple; roots all the way to China are not IME.)

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NCBananas

Waiting for the pics of the your new acquisitions.

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Dwarf Red, Basjoo , Gros Michel , Truly Tiny, Little Prince
FHIA-01, Dwarf Iholena
Veinte Cohol
Velutina
Dwarf Cavindish
Dwarf Nam Wa
Ensete Maurelii
Sikkimensis
Plumeria
Elephant Ears
Cannas
Calla's
Bougainvillea
Hibiscus

gnappi

From "I don't if I do not have permission" to a shovel, that's the spirit.