Heart of Flame Bromeliad seed collection question

Hi! I'm not really into bromeliads, but I happen to have a gazillion growing right here. On plant ID's someone helped me out and told me it was a Heart of Flame. Now, these are in different stages of bloom, and I believe one is forming rather large seedpods appx. where the purplish flowers were. Now, I would love to collect these seeds and trade them, but I have no idea if what I'm thinking is even right. Is there anyone who can help: if they ARE seeds, when do I collect them? Is there a smart trick for catching them? Does anyone else own these and perhaps could be of help because of past experience?

(image is of same kind, but not exact plant with 'seedpods')

http://www.bromeliad.org.au/pictures/Bromelia/balansae.htm
Gidday, I'm only guessing, having no experience with your plant, that the seeds are ready when the fruit changes colour. (Like an Aechmea) It looks as though there are many fruit produced on this plant, so I would suggest having a squeeze of one every now and then as their appearance changes. The fruit should be quite soft. The seeds will squeeze out of the fruit, and you can dry them on a piece of kitchen paper towel.
Maybe there is someone else out there with a better idea, but I hope this helps marginally anyway.
Sue

Thank you Sue! That helps definitely! Any other ideas/advice out there?

Definately a Bromelia - although the "experts" have widely differing opinions as to many of the species. WW is right about the seeds. They are pretty easy to germinate too. The wife and I took a trip to NW Argentina in November and got to see native Bromelia serra in full bloom - very sweet.

In the tropics Bromelias are used as hedges to keep people and varments at bay. They all have vicious spines and many of them get very large.

Dave.

I have a stand of these in my yard and mine are huge. Some are 5 ft wide and 5 feet tall. And the spines are extremely vicious. They go 2 ways so they get you coming and going. I think mine are Bromelia balansae. I have never looked to see if mine set seed. I can trade the new offsets easier than I could trade seeds. In fact I plan to offer these for trade at my plant trade June 6th for anyone brave enough to hack one off

Bromelia sp. going off. May be B. balansae. Was told that it was collected in the wilds near the Gulf of Mexico near Tampico, Mexico. Extremely dangerous plant with surgical quality claws.

Hi, I think I have this in my wish list. Could it be "pinguin" ?

Could be. I find the Bromelia totally confusing. See http://fcbs.org/butcher/Bromelia.htm Mine has many downturned teeth. About 50/50 up and down. Hasn't bloomed yet. One reference stated pinguin had mostly forward pointing teeth.

Im confused also :)

It's starting to push up the bloom.

In bloom. Looks like it might be Bromelia pinguin.

A close-up of the flowers.

Another shot.

Hey! I think it could still be the same one as I have here. Look at the top picture. usually the flowery thing at the top keeps growing a while. I'm not sure. The seeds are getting softer, but only slowly.. slowly.. slowly. I guess when they are ripe I can get some of the seed out? I'll try it! :)

flowerehj's photo is definitely B balansae.

Best description of the plant: INVASIVE, WILD, DEADLY.

And how does it propagate?
It has about 1 inch diameter runners that runs underground radially from the base of the mature plant.
The thorns are in the shape of pointed fish hooks only worse, they go both ways.

Once you start to see them popping up everywhere in your yard, the only way left to save your yard will be to dig the plants and the runners out of the ground.

They use Bromelia species in Argentina and surrounding countries as living BARB WIRE! Livestock and predators won't go anywhere near it...