Bromeliads: the "Holiday Centerpiece" Flower to Try

It's always fun to personalize the table, and a small bromeliad is a great way to mark each place setting. Carve a hole in a small pie pumpkin, making it slightly larger than the plant's 2 ½-inch container. Remove the plant from the pot, and gently slip the soil into the pumpkin, dressing the top with sunflower birdseed. Add a place card to the side, or inscribe a name on each pumpkin using a waterproof pen.

A sideboard holds a sprawling cornucopia of plants, vegetables, and fruits. Place a long, narrow basket on its side at the table's end. Tuck the bromeliads inside, with foliage flowing out and around the edges. Secure pots with crumpled newspaper or wedges of dry florist foam. Arrange the largest pumpkins and squash close to the plants, adding smaller elements around them. Cluster similar items together as they cascade to the top of the sideboard.

This type of arrangement lasts for weeks, provided plants are watered weekly. Check the fruits and vegetables frequently--don't allow them to mar furniture with moisture. 

Bromeliads offer colorful blooms and an easy-care attitude. They bring a great look to Thanksgiving decorations and won't miss a beat as Christmas arrives. Give them a try--you'll feel like a pro making easy, stylish arrangements. 

A Seasonal Switch
Bromeliads bloom for months with proper care. Your Thanksgiving centerpiece will still be in full flower as the Christmas season arrives, so keep the display intact. Simply change out the seasonal elements, or choose a new decorative container. Replace pumpkins, gourds, and fruit with glass ornaments, and you're set for another season's arrangement.

This article is from the November 2002 issue of Southern Living.