Playing in the garden again

I got up early yesterday and worked in the bromeliad garden. I have scratches all over my arms to prove it too! People are going to start thinking I have problems. Anyway, I took some more pictures so you can see some of what I have. Not all of them were labeled, and I think some of the "unknown" ones were mislabeled. So you all will have to help me out. For example, look at the picture of this one, which was labeled Guzmania hybrid. I happened to be looking through the Florida Council of Bromeliad Society's website and saw this aechmea that looks just like it! http://fcbs.org/images/Aechmea/a_chantinii_fuchsii1_bs.jpg Opinions, please.

Here's another "Guzmania hybrid" as the tag said. Funny story, I got this at the USF Tropical Plant Festival. This one was on a table and caught my eye. There were two of them, so I picked up one. They vendor starts telling me how it's such a good deal because the plant has tons of pups on it. "It's like less than $2 a plant", he said. Probably less than that; I think the plant was $8-$10. And it really does have many pups. So then the lady near us says, "I think I'll take the other one!" And so she did.

Expensive, but I gave in and bought it. I think it was $20? Aechmea "Flamingo"

Another mystery guzmania hybrid...

And another guzmania hybrid, at least that's what the tag said...

Ok, this one actually looks like a guzmania. They had them 3 for $20 and I was having trouble picking out a third, and Mom liked this one. Since she's my primary backer and investor (and it's her yard), I let her choose every now and then.

I spent so much money I got a free vriesea.

Now for you Neo lovers...here's "Oh No!" I liked the name, and the coloring!

Neo Luxurians, the more I see it, the more I like it.

Neo "Marion"

Neo Perfecta, they were $3 each or four for $10 because they were on "Past Bloom Special". I say who cares if they're past their bloom? That just means you're going to get pups soon!

Neo melodonita princepsi. Anything that's close to my name (Melanie) comes home with me. Did you know Melanie comes from a Greek word meaning "dark" or "black"? The chemical in your skin that makes you tan (or makes us different shades of human) is called melanin. Now you've learned something new today!

Neo Jack Ruskin. I have a soft spot for the reddish ones.

I knew I had bought "Kahala Dawn", but I couldn't remember which one it was. So I looked through fcbs.org and remembered when I saw their pictures. Mine was in too much shade and losing it's reddish tones, so I recently moved it.

I also forgot the name of this one until I was browsing fcbs.org. When I saw it I totally remembered the name. I told you I have a weakness for the red ones. Neo Royal Burgundy.

My tillandsia concolor. It's my first tillandsia to bloom (not counting those purchased when in bloom). So I'm really proud of myself. Almost all of my tillansdias are making babies right now. There's one I totally thought was dead, but I couldn't bring myself to remove it. Then, about two months ago I noticed it had a pup! Never give up folks!

Tillandsia stricta hard leaf form (with neos in the background)

I don't know the name of this aechmea. When I bought it at the USF Spring Plant Festival, I was carrying it around in a brown grocery bag with the bloom sticking out of the top. So many people I walked by told me how pretty it was.

Aechmea distichantha

This little aechmea was like $4, and I thought the coloring was so unusual I bought it.

A close up of its bloom

Billbergia "Diane" When this is in bloom the tips of it are so blue. I loved that color so much I had to get it.

A billbergia without a name. But it was pretty so I got it.

Some other plants I have that don't have pictures yet are: aechmea recurvata, aechmea caudata, aechmea caudata "Blotches", Aechmea gamosepala (large form and I think I have a variegated one), aechmea mexicana, aechmea bromelifolia, aechmea luddemaniana tricolor, aechmea "del mar", aechmea "jean", aechmea "laura lynn", and portea petropolitana. If you're thinking "I've never seen that one before", or "I've never seen that for sale", or, "I have to have that one!", let me know and I'll see what I can do. A lot of my bromeliads have been with me long enough that they're starting to pup. Oh, and my neighbor has (literally) hundreds of either aechmea bromeliifolia or aechmea chlorophylla. I can't decide which it is. I'll get over there and take a picture and let you all help me decide. I have a few I took as payment for clearing up his skunk vine problem and he never noticed. Hope you all enjoy the photos!

You know, I think my neighbor's bromeliads look most like aechmea maculata. http://fcbs.org/images/Aechmea/A_maculata_fs.jpg

beautiful pictures. i love them all. i have quite a few but none of the ones you have. they are gorgeous. thanks for sharing.
cassandra

You have a very beautiful, unique collection!!
Especially love the first pic, distichantha, and the one unnamed one before that one.
Thanks for sharing all your beautiful photos!!
Janet

Beautiful ! Thanks for sharing !
Allison

The first cut at Bromeliad identification is to look at the leaf edges. If they are smooth, your plant is in the subfamily Tillandsioideae which includes the common genera Tillandsia, Vriesea, and Guzmania. There are very few exceptions, although the true taxinomic differences are mostly in the inflorescence and its flowers.
Dave

p.s. The plant "melodonita princepsi" sounds like it might be a hybrid of two species, melanodonta and princeps. You have a very nice haul there for very reasonable prices! Nice photos too.

p.p.s. Candela - I think your plant picture is Aechmea aquilega

Thanks everyone! The USF Botanical Gardens are having their Bromeliad Bonanza next month so I'm sure I'll have new photos to show you then.

Dave, the one neo is a mix of melodonita and princepsi. I forgot the little x when typing it.