Neoregelia ‘Van Durme Pink’ Mounted on Cedar - Hanging

Same plant, different mood.
 
This is the pink variant of Neoregelia 'Van Durme'—the same historic Belgian sport, the same documented provenance, but selected for a palette that runs warmer and softer than the classic form. Where the original keeps a green-to-yellow base and lets reddish-pink stripes and dots sit on top of it, this selection carries rose and pink tones through the foliage itself, so the plant reads as pink first and green second. At flowering, the center flushes a vivid pink-red, and the display holds for weeks.
 
The plant. A flat to slightly funnel-shaped rosette of firm, broad, lanceolate leaves. Green and yellowish tones are still there, but they sit underneath a strong overlay of reddish-pink markings—dots, stripes, and patches—with a green-to-cream margin visible on mature foliage. The flowers, when they come, are small and violet among the inner leaves. It is a softer, more romantic plant than the classic form, and it photographs beautifully in warm light.
 
The history. Neoregelia 'Van Durme' originated in Belgium as a sport of 'Perfecta Tricolor', selected from the collection of a grower named Van Durme. It was propagated extensively by Paul DeCoster, and divisions went out under several names: plants sent to F. Gruber in Colombia were released in the United States as both 'Van Durme' and 'Gloria'; material distributed to DeLeon in Florida was introduced as 'Inferno'; and plants acquired by Rainforest Flora were released as 'Van Durme'. Same plant, four names, three continents.
 
The 12-inch board. This mount measures 5.5" wide × 12" high—shorter than our 16-inch classic-form cedar mount, but the same width, so the two line up alongside each other if you display them together. The shorter board makes it easier to hang in tight spots: over a desk, in a narrow gap between windows, on a bathroom wall, or on a shelf where a 16-inch drop would be too much. It's the compact version of the same clean, portrait-oriented rectangle.
 
Why cedar. Western red cedar is naturally rot-resistant—its oils resist decay and fungal growth without chemical treatment—which matters for something that gets watered regularly. It's also light, which helps when you're hanging a board on a wall. Fresh cedar runs warm reddish-brown and gradually weathers to a soft silver-grey.
 
Why mount it. Neoregelias are epiphytic, and mounting is how they grow in the wild. On a cedar board, the rosette sits at eye level, the foliage arches freely, and the whole piece reads as a sculptural object rather than a plant in a pot. The soil-and-moss base at the point of attachment gives the roots something to grip and a moisture reservoir to draw from.

Care Instructions:

Bright, filtered light—and this matters more than usual here. The rose and pink coloration develops under good light; in shade the plant reverts toward green and loses the quality you bought it for. A bright windowsill indoors, or dappled shade outdoors. Avoid harsh, direct midday sun, which can scorch the leaves.
 
Watering the plant: Keep the central "cup" filled with fresh water. Refresh it weekly to prevent stagnation and mosquito breeding.
 
Watering the mount: The soil-and-moss base should stay moist but never soggy. There's no drainage hole in a cedar mount, so you're managing moisture by hand. Water the base lightly and let it dry somewhat between waterings. If the moss stays wet for days, you're overdoing it.