Aechmea tessmannii is a terrestrial bromeliad native to the Amazonian regions of Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru, where it thrives in warm, humid lowland rainforest conditions. It forms large rosettes of arching, strap-like leaves that are typically light green and can exceed one meter in length. The species is most notable for its immense and complex inflorescence, which consists of thick, branching panicles densely covered in overlapping bracts. These bracts are often salmon-orange to coral-pink and serve as protective and visually striking structures for the tiny flowers that emerge between them. The actual flowers are usually tubular, inconspicuous, and short-lived, but the bracts remain showy for months. Photographed in Colombia.