Guzmania multiflora

Native to Colombia and Ecuador, this stemless perennial bromeliad grows as an epiphyte in forests and thickets, including high Andean sites. Numerous arching, strap-shaped leaves surround an upright red flower stalk. The loose, branched inflorescence carries several small oval spikes that spread outward or point upward. Broad floral bracts are shorter than the sepals, and the individual flowers have white or yellow petals. Its nectar attracts hummingbirds, which effectively transfer pollen between the flowers. It can also set seed through self-pollination. Photographed in Colombia.