Okay bromeliad sleuths, time for another taxonomy mystery. This bromeliad was passed along from a neighbor and has finally bloomed after two years. My gut tells me that it's some form of an Aechmea Distichantha with a tight rosette, but since most pictures of distichantha show a branched and open inflorescence, it doesn't quite match up. Though these photos show an unbranched spike, they so sometimes branch at the base. The leaves are also rigid and incredibly spiny.
Whatever it is, is sure is gorgeous!!! Love that color!!!
ReplyDeleteSteve, do you have any good tips on encouraging bromeliads to bloom????
ReplyDeleteThanks Julie! It will end up having little blue flowers too!
ReplyDeleteSiestaSister:
If the bromeliad is of a size appropriate for blooming and healthy enough to handle the stress of throwing out a flower spike, then place it under a bag with a ripening fruit such as an apple for a couple of days. The ethylene gas produced by the ripening fruit encourages blooming! Also, sometimes smoke from nearby forest fires triggers blooming.
Whatever its name is, it is beautiful! And thanks for the tips about making bromeliads flower.
ReplyDeleteI have one similar to this, but don't recognize it. It's definitely an Aechmea. Will the little flowers popping out of the bracts be purple?
ReplyDeleteTake closeups and see if someone writes in.
David/ :-)
It's a Quesnelia with typical papery bracts. The color seems to indicate Ques. arvensis, but I can't be sure until it opens more. I have profiled this species on my blog so when the inflorescence develops more, compare to my photos.
ReplyDeleteI've solved the mystery! It's Quesmea "Lymanii", a cross between Aechmea Distichantha "schlumbergeri" and Quesnelia testudo! That explains the oftentimes branching inflorescence and papery bracts along with the rigid and spiny distichantha-like leaves!
ReplyDeleteHere's a picture of one... http://fcbs.org/images/Quesmea/Quesmea_Lymanii_hort_Foster_MarieSelby.jpg
ReplyDeleteI like it!
ReplyDelete