I bought mine back in 2001, and while the mother plant (purchased for 15 bucks) has long since perished, I have never had to buy another. This is because after flowering the parent dies off leaving baby urn plants at its base to carry on the lineage. I have nurtured a couple of offsets to maturity.

It’s a fairly forgiving plant. I grow mine in a mix of orchid bark and soil-less mix for house plants, and am sure to give it lots of showers during the dry winter months.

There was a time when I thought the bright pink bracts accompanied by purple flowers was too showy and overbearing but I have since come to adore this plant. And the silvery banded foliage looks great on its own.