Actual size and flowering may vary slightly based on season.
Grape Jelly Dyckia
Grape Jelly Dyckia is a rosette of glossy, deep red-purple leaves, almost black in strong sun, edged with white spines. It grows about 1 to 2 feet tall and wide. Orange flowers open on stalks above the leaves in the warm months. Use it as a specimen, in a border or in a rock garden where the dark color can show.
Best for: specimen spots, borders, rock gardens and patio pots where a dark purple rosette can stand out.
Its glossy red-purple leaves make it a strong specimen or border plant. It grows about 1 to 2 feet tall and wide, so it stays in scale near a walk or patio edge.
It does well in rock gardens, where water drains away quickly. Give it good light there, because the leaf color deepens in sun.
It grows well in a pot at least as wide as the plant. Use a fast-draining mix and a pot with a drainage hole.
Standing water rots the roots, so keep it out of low, soggy spots. Harsh afternoon sun is hard on it in the low desert. The spines are very sharp, so plant it back from walks and handle it with gloves.
- Small varieties5 in apart
- Larger varieties16 in apart
Water regularly while it grows in spring and summer, and keep it drier in winter. If it goes too dry, it stops growing and the leaves wilt, so water again.
Leaf color is best in sun. In the low desert, plant it where it is protected from harsh afternoon sun.
It is rated hardy to about 10 to 20°F. Cover young plants with frost cloth when a hard frost is forecast during their first winter.
The leaf edges have sharp spines, so wear gloves and long sleeves. No pruning is needed, so just pull out dead leaves.
Drainage test first. Dig the hole and fill it with water. If water is still sitting in the hole a day later, you likely hit caliche, clay or hard soil, so fix the drainage before planting. If it drains very fast, the soil is sandy. Standing water around roots is a common reason new plants fail.
Weed cloth. Cut it away from the planting hole and where the roots will spread. Remove any plastic sheeting completely, since it keeps water and air out of the soil.
Rock or decomposed granite with no soil underneath. Bring in soil close in texture to your native soil, mix it with the soil below, and build up enough depth for roots before planting.
If you can break through. Use a breaker bar, pick, or jackhammer. Dig through the caliche and break out the solid chunks. Backfill with the soil you dug out, with no compost or manure in the hole. Confirm drainage before planting.
If you cannot break through. Dig narrow holes through the hard layer beside the root ball, not under it, and refill them with the same soil, not gravel. If it still will not drain, plant on a low mound of the same soil.
Root ball. Check the outside edges for any roots circling around. Loosen or cut those so they grow outward. Do not break up the center of the root ball.
Depth. The top of the root ball should sit at or just slightly above the surrounding soil level. Planting too deep can lead to rot and kill the plant.
Drip emitters. At planting, put the emitters on the root ball, on different sides of the plant. After about 2 months, move them to the outer edge of the root ball. Over the first year, add emitters farther out toward the edge of the branches as roots grow. Once a plant is rooted, never water only at the trunk.
What is Grape Jelly Dyckia?
It is a Dyckia, a spiny bromeliad in the pineapple family. It looks like a small agave, so plant and water it like a succulent in fast-draining soil.
How big does Grape Jelly get?
It grows about 1 to 2 feet tall and wide. Give each plant that much room in a bed or choose a pot at least that wide.
Why is it called Grape Jelly?
It is named for its glossy red-purple leaves, which turn almost black in strong sun. Plant it in good light to keep the color dark.
Are the spines sharp?
Yes, the spines are quite sharp. Wear gloves and long sleeves when you handle it, and keep it back from walks.
Does it need full sun?
The leaf color is best in sun. In the low desert, plant it where it gets some protection from the harsh afternoon sun.
How often should I water it?
Water it regularly in the warm months while it grows, and sparingly in winter. Make sure the soil drains fast and never stays soggy.
Does it bloom?
Yes, orange to yellow flowers open on tall stalks in the warm months. Dyckias keep growing after they bloom, so you only need to cut off the spent stalks.
How cold hardy is Grape Jelly?
It is rated hardy to about 10 to 20°F. Cover young plants with frost cloth when a hard frost is in the forecast.
Will it spread?
Dyckias make pups over time and can fill in as a clump. Leave the pups in place if you want a fuller planting.
Grape Jelly Dyckia for sale in Arizona, delivered to you
Grape Jelly is a Dyckia, a spiny bromeliad named for its glossy red-purple leaves. It handles cold and drought well for a bromeliad, and it sends up orange flowers in the warm months. Below is what to expect in a Valley yard, from size and color to sun, water and cold care.
Sourced from trusted Arizona growers and delivered directly to your door, job site, or property. We deliver across the Valley and to nearby towns, and quote delivery anywhere else in Arizona.
What is Grape Jelly Dyckia?
Grape Jelly is a Dyckia, a spiny bromeliad with glossy red-purple leaves and white spines. It looks like a small agave but belongs to the pineapple family.
How big does Grape Jelly Dyckia get?
It grows about 1 to 2 feet tall and wide. Orange flower stalks rise above the leaves in the warm months.
Growing Grape Jelly Dyckia in Phoenix
Plant it in fast-draining soil with good light so the leaves stay dark. In the low desert, give it some protection from the harsh afternoon sun.
Watering Grape Jelly Dyckia
Water it regularly in summer and sparingly in winter. Standing water rots the roots, so plant it where water drains away.
Is Grape Jelly Dyckia cold hardy?
Yes, it is fairly cold hardy for a bromeliad. It is rated to about 10 to 20°F, so cover young plants on hard frost nights.
Where to use Grape Jelly Dyckia
It works as a specimen, in a border, in a rock garden or in a patio pot. Plant it where the dark leaves stand out against lighter gravel or plants.
We deliver across the Valley, from Phoenix, Scottsdale and Mesa out to San Tan Valley, Maricopa and Casa Grande, and up to Prescott, Sedona, Payson and Globe. See delivery areas and rates.