Deuterocohnia is a genus of plants in the family Bromeliaceae endemic to South America. After modern DNA analysis, plants once described as belonging to the genus Abromeitiella have been reevaluated and reclassified within Deuterocohnia. The generic name honors Ferdinand Julius Cohn, a German botanist and bacteriologist.
The genus comprises a few generally mat-forming succulents from Argentina and Bolivia. They are rosette-forming terrestrial Bromeliads with heavily spined leaf margins. The flowers are green and inconspicuous and appear on a short inflorescence. These plants do not die after flowering and often rebloom on the same flower spike. The sizes range from the tiny Deuterocohnia brevifolia, only a few inches across, to huge plants with broad leaves.
Growing Conditions
Light: Deuterocohnias need full sun to light shade.
Water: These plants are drought tolerant but do best with average water during spring and summer. They do not like to have water on leaves in cold weather. Reduce water during the winter.
Soil: Grow your Deuterocohnia in well-drained, humus-rich soil.
Temperature: Hardy down to 20 °F (-7 °C).
Propagation
Remove offset rosettes and replant. Deuterocohnias also can be grown from seeds.
Pests and Diseases
Fungal rots from overwatering in poor draining soils.
Grower's Tips
Deuterocohnias are perennial Bromeliads that grow very slowly into a tight cushion-shaped colony. In their native environments, they are watered perhaps only twice a year, obtaining most of their moisture from the air. They can get extra moisture from ocean fogs that roll in.
These plants are nice for small-scale groundcover in rock, cactus, or succulent gardens. In addition, these Bromeliads make interesting plants in containers.
Grow your Deuterocohnia in well-drained humus-rich soil with added pebbles, perlite, hardwood bark, or other material to facilitate drainage. Keep it in bright light or partial sun and water moderately in spring and summer, letting the soil dry between waterings. Reduce water during the winter. Deuterocohnias are probably one of the cold-hardiest of the Bromeliads, but detesting winter wetness on its foliage proves difficult to keep outside.
Links
- Back to genus Deuterocohnia
- Succupedia: Browse succulents by Scientific Name, Common Name, Genus, Family, USDA Hardiness Zone, Origin, or cacti by Genus