Learn How to Grow Dyckia Bromeliads

Dyckia spp.

With their stiff, spiny leaves, you’d be forgiven for thinking dyckias are succulents or cacti.

But these thorny members of the bromeliad family bear no close relation to aloes or any other succulents.

Unlike their canopy-dwelling cousins, which tend to cling to trees in shady, humid jungles, dyckias are terrestrial bromeliads.

They’re most often found clinging to sun-drenched rocks or thriving in arid, open landscapes.

While many bromeliads are monocarpic, blooming once before dying, dyckias bloom repeatedly, often for decades.

They look tough because they are. If peonies are the belles of the ball, dyckias are the tough outsiders hanging out on the streets.

Growing these usual plants doesn’t take much work at all, so they’re firmly in the “low effort, big reward” category. My favorite kind.

Our guide to growing bromeliads provides an overview of how to cultivate different species in the Bromeliaceae family.

Ready to learn all about dyckias? I can’t wait to share more with you. Let’s charge ahead with the following topics:

The Dyckia genus includes around 160 recognized species in the Bromeliaceae family, subfamily Pitcairnioideae.

Unlike the many epiphytic bromeliads that grow in trees, dyckias are terrestrial, growing in soil.

They’re saxicolous, which means they prefer rocky terrain, and some even grow attached to rocks, which makes them lithophytes.

Most species are native to low elevations, generally under 6,000 feet, though some occur at higher altitudes.

This keeps them safe from browsing herbivores, but it also poses a hazard to humans. Gloves and long sleeves are highly recommended as the spines can easily draw blood.

Foliage may appear in shades of green, yellow, red, or gray, often with a silvery cast or flecking along the leaf margins. This flecking is caused by fine hairs known as trichomes.

While their flowers aren’t the main attraction, many species send up colorful flower stalks with tubular blooms that attract pollinators.

These emerge from the side of the rosette rather than the center, and may be just a few inches tall like those of D. choristaminea or several feet high, in the case of D. maritima.

Unlike many bromeliads, dyckias are not monocarpic. Flowering does not signal the end of the plant’s life cycle, and mature specimens will bloom multiple times.

Plants typically take about three years to reach flowering size, at which point they may start producing offshoots known as pups.

You can divide and propagate these to expand your collection or let them form a sprawling, spine-clad mat.

Pollinators, especially hummingbirds, adore the blooms. Bees, butterflies, and wasps are also frequent visitors when flowers are in bloom.

Dyckias were first described in the early 19th century by Austrian botanist Heinrich Wilhelm Schott, who had a particular interest in Brazilian flora.

How to Grow

Dyckias are some of the most cold-tolerant bromeliads around.

While many members of the family suffer below 50°F, dyckias can withstand a hard freeze and often survive temperatures well down into the teens.

Most species will thrive in USDA Hardiness Zones 8b to 11b.

Light

These plants prefer full sun, but some species can tolerate partial sun.

You’ll see the most vibrant foliage colors when they receive at least six hours of direct sunlight each day, so give them a sunny spot whether that’s indoors or out.

Soil

Whether grown in the ground or in containers, dyckias require loose, well-draining soil.

They often grow among rocks or in sandy, mineral soils, so heavy or compacted soil is not suitable.

They prefer a slightly acidic to neutral pH, between 5.5 and 7.5.

Water

Despite appearances, dyckias are not succulents. Cacti and succulents have the ability to store water in their leaves.

Dyckia species can’t store water, they survive dry periods by going dormant. While some drought won’t hurt the plants, it will slow growth.

In their native environment, dyckias generally have ample moisture during the growing season and drier conditions during the dormancy.

Keep the soil consistently moist but not wet and soggy during the spring and summer. Monitor with a moisture meter or simply grab a handful of soil and give it a squeeze. It should feel like a well-wrung-out sponge, moist but not saturated.

If you’re ever unsure, it’s safer to underwater than to overwater. These plants are more tolerant of dryness than of overly wet conditions.

As the weather cools in fall and winter, allow the soil to dry out completely between waterings.

Container Cultivation

Dyckias have more extensive root systems than many other bromeliads, so you need a deep container.

Select a pot that’s at least as wide as the plant itself. A container the same size as the aboveground parts of the plant, or even larger, is ideal.

Fertilizing

There’s no need to fertilize in-ground plants unless they are growing slowly then you can feed once in spring and once in late summer with a cactus and succulent fertilizer.

Container-grown specimens benefit from an application of fertilizer in spring and late summer.

Species and Cultivars

I can’t even begin to cover all of the incredible hybrids, cultivars, and species that are available.

I highly recommend heading to your local nursery and see if they have any. If they do, it will likely include the first plant on our list:

Arizona

One of the most popular hybrids is the 18-inch-wide ‘Arizona,’ with its dark blue-green leaves dotted with white spikes on the margins.

It’s often the one that stores will carry, and is the parent of so many other fantastic hybrids, including ‘Feather Star’ and ‘White Fang.’

‘Arizona’ was bred by Bill Baker, who was an avid plant hunter and nurseryman. He created numerous hybrids, some of which are the most popular and respected out there.

Dawsonii

The bronze leaves of D. dawsonii are lined with hooked spines on plants that can grow up to a foot wide, producing yellow-orange flowers.

With a little extra sun, the leaves can even turn dark purple. The species is fairly rare in cultivation, but there are several cultivars and hybrids.

‘Brittle Star’ is a Bill Baker hybrid that’s wildly popular and takes after its dawsonii parent with dark purple, nearly black leaves. It also has D. fosteriana and D. platyphylla parentage.

Delicata

My heartfelt thanks goes out to the botanists who found D. delicata species in the high altitudes of southern Brazil in 1996. This is such a cool species.

The foliage forms a compact rosette, with leaves that curl downward into a spiky little orb. The tips of the leaves can even dig into the soil or hang below the rim of a container.

Foliage can be green, red, or gray, all covered in silver flocking. There’s also a striking gold form with yellow-gold foliage.

The long, pointed spines might look intimidating, but they’re surprisingly soft to the touch. Go ahead, this is one dyckia you can safely pet.

Fosteriana

This species has narrow, silvery-white leaves accented by heaps and heaps of spines along the edges. The leaves are exceptionally curvy and can drape below the rim if you grow it in a pot.

The plants stay small, growing to just about eight inches tall and a bit wider when mature. Another check in the “good for container cultivation” column.

They’re quick to mature and send out offsets, so you’ll be enjoying clusters of these plants in no time.

Look for varieties like nivosa, which matures at just about five inches across, or the rubra form, which turns a deep burgundy in bright light.

Goehringii

If you like your plants to be vicious, this species is for you. The margins of the leaves are lined with spines, and those spines are hooked at the ends.

Want to keep kids, pets, or pests out of the garden? Like the look of what one bromeliad forum user called “a bouquet full of razor wire?” Goehringii it is.

This species is also a good option if you want to propagate the pups.

They emerge on short stolons that hold the offsets away from the base of the mother plant, rather than clustered tightly around it.

Pineapple

Pineapple dyckia (D. brevifolia) certainly bears a resemblance to the plant from which it derives its common name. It has the same type of green, strappy leaves that give it a familiar look.

One notable hybrid is ‘Naked Lady,’ a cross between D. brevifolia and D. encholirioides. It features pale green to yellow foliage and grows up to a foot tall and even wider.

Since it lacks spines, this one is a good option for growing as a houseplant or for placing in high-traffic areas.

White

The botanical name D. marnier-lapostollei may be a mouthful, but the plant itself is undeniably stunning.

It has small, claw-like spines along the margins of gray-green leaves that appear nearly white thanks to a heavy coating of trichomes.

The leaves are deeply curved, often curling back beneath themselves or dipping below the rim of a container. They’re lined with spines that are relatively soft.

At maturity, the plant reaches about a foot tall and wide and produces flower spikes up to two feet tall topped with orange blooms. It grows well even in partial shade.

The species was named after Julien Marnier-Lapostolle of Grand Marnier liqueur fame, as the plant was discovered growing on one of his estates.

Wide Leaf

Known as wide-leaf dyckia, D. platyphylla has broader leaves than many other species, though each still tapers to a point.

The foliage is covered in stubby but sharp spines and dotted with silvery scales. In bright sun, the leaves can take on a bronze, red, or purple hue.

At maturity, plants reach about a foot tall and up to two feet wide, sending up tall stalks of yellow flowers.

To be perfectly accurate, it’s not entirely clear whether this plant is a true species or a hybrid. It was first described in 1970 by botanist and bromeliad expert Lyman Bradford Smith, based on a specimen collected by Bateman Foster.

But it has never been rediscovered in the wild, and some experts suspect it may be a hybrid.

The hybrid ‘Cherry Coke’ inherits its glossy leaves from D. platyphylla, while D. fosteriana contributes its tendency to shift color in the sun.

Maintenance

If you’re growing your plant in a container, plan to pot it up to a larger size after the first year, and again in the second.

After that, you can usually keep it in the same container, but you’ll want to replace the potting medium every two to three years. As potting soil ages, it compacts and loses nutrients.

When you repot or replace the soil, don your suit of armor and then gently remove the plant from the container.

Propagation

All dyckias produce seeds that can be used for propagation, but this isn’t the most reliable method.

Most plants available on the market are hybrids, and seedlings grown from their seeds will not grow true to the parent.

If you’re working with a known species, seed propagation is a viable option.

Most dyckias also produce pups, giving you a simpler and more predictable way to multiply your plants.

Our guide to propagating bromeliads has all the information you need.

Transplanting

To transplant, start by digging a hole that’s twice as wide and deep as the current container the plant is growing in. Dykias develop large root systems, so give them room to spread.

Pests and Disease

You don’t have to worry about hungry herbivores when growing Dyckia species.

Their spiky leaves keep them safe from hungry deer and such. But pests aren’t completely unheard of.

Pests

Pests don’t usually kill dyckias or cause serious harm, but problems can arise from time to time. The two you’re most likely to encounter are slugs and brown soft scale.

Brown soft scale (Coccus hesperidum) can be a problem on dyckias. These insects are flat, immobile, and often resemble small bumps on the leaves, which makes them easy to overlook.

They hide in the crevices of the plant, where they feed on sap and can cause yellowing and stunted growth.

Remove any visible insects by scraping them off or wiping them with isopropyl alcohol on a cotton swab.

Learn more about managing scale here.

You’d think that snails would be put off by the vicious spikes but that’s not the case.

If you see holes appearing in the edges of leaves or the flowers disappear, it’s not a wily rabbit. It’s likely slugs.

Learn more about how to deal with slugs and snails here.

Disease

The only disease that occurs with any regularity in dyckias is root rot.

This is usually the result of overwatering, preventing the roots from accessing oxygen or allowing water-loving pathogens such to infect the plant.

If you suspect root rot, stop watering. Let the soil dry out for several weeks before you water again.

During this time, treat the soil with a copper fungicide to help eliminate any fungal pathogens that may be present.

Look But Don’t Touch

Dyckias are stunning, but they’re not the kind of plant you want to brush up against. If you’re drawn to dramatic foliage lined with saw-like spines, it’s hard to find a better choice.

These plants have been under appreciated for too long, but I think they’re due for a surge in popularity.

Are you already growing these xeric beauties? Do you have a favorite dyckia species or hybrid? If there’s one you love that we didn’t mention, let us know in the comments section below!

And for more information about growing bromeliads, check out these guides next:

• How to Grow and Care for Variegated Pineapple Bromeliads
• How to Grow and Care for Urn Plants (Silver Vase Bromeliad)
• How to Grow and Care for Queen’s Tears Bromeliads