Lovely indeed!! I would love some Aechmeas, Neoregelias, and the lot, but sadly don't have the space. Maybe someday... ;)

Hi everyone.

Bradisha - That's a great looking plant; I've never seen it before so I decided to look up some of the reference sites and find out more about it.

As it's a cultivar, the first place I looked was that wonderful reference site of the B.S.I. called the Cultivar Register.

See: http://registry.bsi.org/?genus=AECHMEA&id=13395#13395

Judging by the colour and shape of the inflorescence I had suspected it may have had connections to Aechmea 'Blue Tango', (See: http://registry.bsi.org/?genus=AECHMEA&id=90#90) or Aechmea 'Del Mar', (See: http://registry.bsi.org/?genus=AECHMEA&id=168#168)

Sure enough, I find that it's a variegated sport from Aechmea 'Blue Tango' which was found at the "Bullis Nursery" in Florida and has since been patented.

A very nice, clean plant which you've grown very well, congratulations.

All the best, Nev.

Wonderful information!! I'm supposed to be working at my desk now, but the distraction is too hard to resist... Thanks, Nev. ;D

T. tenuifolia var. vaginata

Lots of great pictures! I've had a few ionantha's bloom. A caput medusa is slowly working on a stalk (I recalled this as I took a picture last month and said to myself, oh, I should check on how that is coming; little change). Too bad these thigns get all bloomy -- 4-5 months after the last hummingbird headed south! Though I did have a Victoria blooming once and I hung it under a hummer feeder but I think any birds that saw it were confused ("what is that doing here???")

I've seen a lot of tempting though common blooming broms at grocery stores, but can't get up the gumption to get one, lug it home on the bus (plus all m other groceries), then find a spot for it. Tillandsias are so much easier to care for and find places for :)

No new blooms for me, but we have a pup on the T. jucunda :)

This one's promising to be a beaut...Exserta x Velutina

Large inflo...I believe it actually grows out even further than this.


Wondrous contrast! Mauryana, with trademark pink inflorescence and green petals.


...And a pleasant surprise. Two Jumping for Joys, Ionantha x Exserta. Parents are known for having purple tubular blooms. You'd think it's offspring would end the same way (as my first one did.) These ones have a creamy hued petals topped with a splash of green(?) To begin with, this little one started a scant two hours before...


My third lovely, went from perfectly pink this morning to this posing pretty in less than 12 twelve hours.


Just in case I don't pop up in the next couple of days...
Have a Happy Valentine's Day, all!

Hmm...Troubling news. These might actually be Rectifolia, ionantha x schiedeana. <.< >.> I've been told by others on the net that schiedeana hybrids often develop flowers which are white with a hint of green on top, and soft purple at the base of the bloom. If so... X_X That could explain the "unusual" blooms and lack of height...Have yet to receive a reliable verdict, but...

My plants:

What I was shown of Rectofilia:

Great, now I'm worried.

Turns out they are not Rectifolia, but Tillandsia Joy Boys, T. seleriana X T. schiedenan Major. :P

Hmm, interesting, I'd never have guessed it has seleriana in there.. ;)

I believe this is Vriesea 'Yellow w/Red Carly', but it might be 'Yellow w/Red Davine'. It started blooming the first of January, but the bracts grow slowly. It is showy enough now that I bring it inside in the evening, so that I can look at it. I've had this plant for a while, and I think this is the first time it has bloomed for me in two or three years. I keep out of bloom, uninteresting plants on one side of the house until they start to bloom, and then I move them into an area where I see them more often.

Hi everyone.

Lars - I can't help you with a correct
identity for your plant. Neither of the names you provide is registered on the BCR
so I would think they are either what are known as "Nurseryman's
names" or “Pet names”.

These are names that haven't been
registered on the B.C.R. (Bromeliad Cultivar Register) but have been given to the plant by (in the case of “nursery
man’s name”) the nurseyman/grower. This name often reflects some aspect of the
plant; in this case the "yellow w/red" which briefly describes the
flower colour.

There are also what are known as
"pet names"; these are also unregistered names given by the grower to
a plant which they have acquired without a name, and can be anything from a colour
descriptive name such as e.g. Vriesea variety "Red Warrior" or named after
a person such as a friend or relative e.g. Vriesea var. "Emelia" or
Vriesea var "My Sister" or any other name that the grower decides to
use.

Unfortunately, this practice creates a
problem where you not only have a plant circulating with an unregistered name,
but it's possible to sometimes have many of the same plants carrying different names.

An example of this is where a store will
be selling a batch of the same unnamed "tissue cultured" plants.
Often several the people purchasing these plants will give them their own
"pet name"; it may be just three or four of the buyers or it could be
hundreds. The thing is, these plants are all identical and now they all have
different names.

Another problem which sometimes arises
is that the name given to a plant by the grower is often the same name as a one
that has already been registered and allocated to a completely different plant.
To most gardeners this doesn't seem to be a problem but it becomes a huge
problem to the hybridiser when he/she is trying to track the heritage of a
plant they wish to use in a hybrid cross.

I do have a Vriesea species called
Vriesea erythrodactylon which has some vague similarities to your plant in
regard to the shape of the inflorescence or more specifically the "paddle
shape" which could lead to suspecting your plant may be a hybrid with
erythrodactylon as one of the parents. This however is all supposition without any supporting facts. Without doing the impossible and looking every single hybrid from crosses using erythrodactylon as a parent and comparing them with your plant, it's impossible
to say this is the case.

All the best, Nev.

Hi everyone.

It seems it's that time of the year when my Nidulariums want to show off their beauty once again so I'd like to share a few pictures of what's in colour at present.

Nidularium Fulgens

Nidularium kautskyanum

Nidularium Leprosa

Nidularium Ruby Lee

Nidularium Rutilans Variegated

Nidularium Miranda

Nidularium Orange Innocent

Nidularium Orange Innocent (Immature)

Nidularium Procerum

Finally one of my own Neoregelia hybrids

Neoregelia 'Bea Hanson' x 'Rosea Striata'

All the best, Nev.

Nev, nice to see your Nidulariums in their splendid colors - and I especially like the variegated leaves. I do not have any of those and would buy them if I ever see them.

Here are some more photos of my hybrid red Vriesea

I know this will not help with any ID, as these are non-registered hybrids, but I still like it. I'm just happy that it bloomed for me again, even if I do not know its proper name. I have several more that I am waiting for blooms.

Gazanialovesme, nice tillandsia. Mine are not yet in bloom.

Dang, this one usually grows a bit slinkier and rather more taller. Exserta x Velutina finally in bloom (still pretty.) Charles Wiley looking to bloom soon (not pictured.)

This is my first time posting here -- have really enjoyed seeing all the photos (which is wreaking havoc on my wish list btw) so thought I would share my T ionantha 'Druid' which is really pretty right now. I grow tillandsias in my greenhouse these days but pre-GH grew them outdoors in with winters in the garage. Have been lurking this forum for a long time and learned a lot from my dives into the archives, so thank you to everyone for taking the time to share your experience.

I know it's been a while, but has no other tillies bloomed since for anyone?!

Here's a Greater Glory (xerographica x balbisiana) just starting its stride. Got one other biggie that'll hopefully bloom soon...

I've had several blooming here. This is T. hamaleana, from April. I love the fragrance.

There were many plants blooming in last few months, for example:

Various forms of T. ionantha

T. juncea

T. sucrei

T. globosa

T. cacticola

T. fuchsii

...And here's my Crowning Glory (Xerographica x Exserta.) It's pretty. :) Enjoy, and be jealous! ^.^

My smaller Mordor Fire (intermedia X ionantha fuego) decided to bloom today. Its bigger Sister...She's pupping right now. Boo, wanna see flowers. :)

Love that cacticola. The camera on my phone isn't great, but here's T. chlorophylla.

T. intermedia

T. bartramii

Lovely blooms, everyone. I'm jealous, I don't have anything blooming right now. I'm enjoying yours.

Tillandsia funckiana Giant Form

T. didisticha

T. caput-medusae started to bloom today.

Here's a little bit of Neoregelia colour from "Down Under"

All the best, Nev.

Pretty! What are numbers 5 and 8?

Very nice, thanks.

tj

Hi Everyone.

Karen - No.5 is one of my own hybrids called Neo. 'Rocklow Rose'. and is from a crossing of Neo. 'Bea Hanson' x 'Rosea Striata'.

No.8 is a Chester Skotak hybrid called Neo. 'Bevvie Bee' and is from a crossing of [(carolinae x concentrica) x 'Fireball] x Fireball.

All the best, Nev.

I got lucky. I went back to my home country for work-related stuff just for a week and my T. ionantha (rubra? no tag when bought), which I left in the care of my mother, was blooming. Great timing. :)

Tillandsia meridionalis

and ball form of Tillandsia tectorum

Hi everyone.

Raxidor - They're great looking well-grown plants. I especially like the Tillandsia meridionalis, that's one I haven't seen before. Where does the name come from; is it a species or a hybrid? I can't find it on the FCBS Photo Index or the Bromeliad Cultivar Register.

All the best, Nev.

The seller still uses obsolete names sometimes, I think now T. meridionalis belongs under T. recurvifolia name.

Hi everyone.

Raxidor - I suspected it may have been somethng like that. It seems almost a full time job (especially recently) keeping up with all the name changes.

Thanks for the explanation.

All the best, Nev.

Hi everyone.

For anyone that's interested, here's a few of the recent name bromeliad changes.

All the best, Nev.

Speaking of name changes, Tillandsia (now Lemeltonia) dodsonii.

My Billbergia Hallelujah is blooming again; here is one that I put in more sun:

and here is one that I have kept in low light, in my pergola:I may move this one to get more light so that the leaves will turn purple, the way it was when I bought it. However, it does grow quite well in low light, and this one started to bloom before the one in brighter light.

Hi everyone.

Karen – Thanks for informing of the extra name change [Tillandsia (now Lemeltonia) dodsonii] which
I wasn’t aware of.

To prevent confusion, a word of warning and some
clarification here for those among us who are less conversant with the various
name changes. The above name change for Tillandsia
applies to only 7 of the Tillandsia species.
It
is not a general name change of all Tillandsia
to Lemeltonia

Your information prompted me to go searching to see what
I could find out about these various name changes; this led me to a document
named “Derek the Hybrid Detective - DD0217
DNA / New genera”

See: http://www.bromeliad.org.au/news/DD0217.htm

Part of this tells us: “To keep references precise, it is
always wise to check for past, alternate, and corrected names of any new plants
you get by checking on http://botu07.bio.uu.nl/bcg/taxonList.php?
Get CSV, the 'Taxon List', and following
the name through all its changes.”

Armed with these two links we now have access to two very
informative documents all about the current name changes of all species.

All the best, Nev.

Hi everyone.

Lars – I think ‘Hallelujah’ is a beautiful Billbergia no
matter where it is grown as different growers have different colour preferences;
“beauty is in the eye of the beholder”

As well as its colour varying greatly depending on the
degree of light under which it is grown (Pic.1 Shade grown) It also clumps up
quickly into a beautiful specimen plant (Pic. 2 - which was grown beneath 75%
beige shade cloth)

Not only is it a beautiful plant in its own right, it is
also a proven parent having bred many beautiful hybrids including these two of
mine (Pic’s 3 and 4) which were Billbergia ‘Fred Red’ x ‘Hallelujah’. Although
very different in colour, they are both from the same batch of seed and in my opinion, both
attractive plants and both received prizes on their first showing.

Hallelujah is a very popular parent and has bred numerous
new hybrids including 112 of which have since been registered

See: http://registry.bsi.org/?fields=Parents&id=9650&search=hallelujah

All the best, Nev.

Nice plants Karen, Lars and Nev.

tj

Finally something exciting is happening here. Does anyone know the species name? The leaves are fuzzy with a bulbous base, I never know its ID. Thanks in advance.

This is my Noeregelia 'Little Rose'

(This is a photo test)

And this is my Aechmea 'Burning Bush'

(another photo test)

Almost a month later, it's still growing inflorescence

First bloom opened yesterday

Flowers just opened on this one a couple of days ago. It normally blooms December through February, and it has a bunch more buds that will be opening in the next couple of months. The blue flowers do not last very long, but the pink/magenta parts do.

As you can see, I just misted it before I took the photos.

My ionantha is blooming again