Do bromeliads ever harm their hosts? Are they parasites? Can any of them really live on air? How many kinds live in Florida? Are the pretty ones easy to grow in my garden? This is the first book on Florida s bromeliads and will appeal to both scientists and general readers interested in the state and its unique flora.

Sixteen of the world s 3400 kinds of bromeliads are found in Florida, along with two natural hybrids. These so-called air plants thrive on trees and shrubs as epiphytes, which means they have no roots in soil. They are not parasites, as they use their woody hosts only...