Native to southeastern Brazil, this bromeliad species grows on rocky outcrops and exposed cliffs within the Atlantic Forest biome, thriving in full sun and well-drained habitats. It develops a giant, tank-forming rosette that can span up to 5 feet in diameter, with a flower spike that rises several feet above the foliage and remains in bloom for months. The individual flowers emerge sequentially along the tall spike, each consisting of tubular bracts with dramatically extended stamens that curve outward in long arcs. These white filaments are capped by small yellow anthers. The plant takes many years to flower, it is cultivated as a landscape specimen in warm climates, particularly in Brazil, Australia, and parts of the southern United States where frost is not a concern. After flowering, the central plant dies, but it typically produces several offsets around the base. Photographed in Colombia.