PlantFiles: Lacquered Wine Cup, Bromeliad
Aechmea fosteriana

the name "Foster's Favorite" refers to a different cultivar,
specifically a cross of Aechmea racinae with Aechmea victoriana var. discolor.

Very interesting bromeliad. It has long green leaves, reaching up to 1,2m long, with darker green, irregular stripes on both faces. The leaves form a straight, tall rosette that must be regularly filled with water.

The inflorescence comes out from the rosette during the winter, with dark red bracts and a panicle of small, yellowish flowers that may attract birds and butterflies.

It grows vigorously through stools, and it doesn´t care if there´s any soil around, it will grow new rosettes as long as the main plant is planted on an adequate place (organic soil with fern or coconut fiber will work well). It can be planted as an epiphyte on a tree, as long as you keep it protected by direct sun most of the day (my plant goes better under 4 hours of sun. Before it I had it in my bedroom, next to the window, getting 3 hours of filtered sun light. It started growing new buds like crazy looking for more light). The stools can be cut and planted elsewhere when they reach the "adult" size.