Bromeliad Family

• There are 2,877 species of bromeliads in 56 groups, called genera, according to the Smithsonian Institution. Two common examples are the pineapple and Spanish moss, which is neither Spanish nor a moss. The pineapple is a terrestrial bromeliad, which means that it roots in soil. In contrast, Spanish moss is an epiphytic bromeliad, or air plant, that primarily uses its roots to cling to trees and other plants for support without harming or feeding off them.