Everything's coming up bromeliads!

Hi everyone! I didn't know billbergias liked to bloom in the winter until suddenly they all started! Some of my aechmeas have decided to start showing off, too. I've finally had my bromeliads long enough that they're reblooming or the pups are blooming. It's so exciting. And now that I have a new digital camera (which I lined up outside Best Buy on the day after Thanksgiving to get) I have more pretty pictures to share with everyone. Here's one that I had mislabeled, but I'm pretty sure it's the "Striata" cultivar of billbergia pyramidalis - opinions welcome if you disagree.

Three of those billbergias are blooming. The little purple things open up into flowers. Next up, my aechmea "Red Ribbon". This is what it looked like last week.

This week, the bloom on Red Ribbon really reddened up!

Similarly, here's aechmea "Foster's Favorite". There are two of them, and I thought they were too small to split when I planted them, but they both seem happy now.

Last week, aechmea gamosepala started blooming.

This week, the blue started becoming apparent. I love all my bromeliads, but seeing this aechmea at the USF Botanical Gardens in full bloom was what really won me over to bromeliads. This one is the small form, but I also have a couple of the large form as well.

My latest acquisition from USF - neo. "Pink Polka Dot"

The two pups from this vriesea bloomed a few weeks ago, and now the Mommy bloomed too!

And for all the fans of my neo Pemiento, here's what it's been up to lately...now if I could only get it to make some pups to share!

Those are all so gorgeous! I still have yet to see many of those you posted in person... Striata, Red Ribbon, Foster's Favorite, and certainly not Pemiento!!!

Gorgeous! I think they like you alot. :)
~Gina

Thanks so much! I like them a lot too. Everytime I go to a plant festival I try to pick up a couple new ones. Over time I guess I've acquired quite a collection.

WOW they are all gorgous ! Love you Broms and blooms ! Thanks so much for making my day and shairng I really enjoy looking and dreaming over your photos !

I cleaned up and divided my neighbor's bromeliads for him (his wife has cancer and he just got his knees replaced). I'm pretty sure they're an aechmea species (possibly, bromeliifolia). One of them has already bloomed; usually, they wait until spring. I literally have dozens of pups if anyone out there has to have one.

I just call them Jim's bromeliads (my neighbor's name is Jim). I have a few in my bromeliad garden and the tag even says "Jim's aechmeas". Here's a wider view of them.

I don't have any pups to offer in a trade, except some of which are probably common... were you looking for something in return (plantwise?) Or is just postage okay?

~Gina
That's really kind of you to offer! I'm sorry to hear about your neighbor, though.

Neighbors are doing well. Jim's almost well enough to start working in the garden again. After I cleaned up his bromeliads he said he wasn't sure if someone was trying to run him out of town or help him out. Apparently, his wife planted them when they first moved in, but then she got cancer and couldn't do yardwork as much as she liked. I just couldn't stand seeing them all covered in skunk vine. Plus, I like to see them bloom so I wanted to make them happy!

I would be more than happy to send you some for postage. Just send me a dmail with the details. : )

Melanie