This one comes from Chile where it is to be found from the coast to up to the mountains. It forms a rosette of long slender leaves that turn scarlet red from the centre of the plant. In its home it grows both epiphytic on trees and lithophytic on rocks. Over the years it becomes a very large and showy plant.  

Sometimes - especially in the internet - it is advertised as `hardy Bromeliad`. It depends on several conditions if it really is hardy. First of all proveniance of the plant is very important. Plants from the lowland are by far not that hardy as plants from the mountains are. Next critical condition is its location in the garden. Wetness in winter will kill the plant immediately. Best protection is to plant it into vertical crevices with perfect drainage. If you can provide any kind of roof for it during winter, you have halfway won. Last factor are the usual minimum temperatures in your region. Our stock plants survived several winters with temperatures as low as -15 ° C, but they had absolut protection from wetness. Probably they will die with even lower temperatures, just like they won`t survive -10 ° C in combination with wetness. Young plants are of course more tender and need extra protection during the coldest times. The best solution is to keep a potted stock plant indoors and use its  offshoots for experiments in the garden. This may sound very demanding and in fact it is. However the plant is such a beauty that it is worth any effort.  Not to mention your pride when you can show your amazed friends a fully grown bromeliad in your garden ...