Garden at Symdock - Bromeliads

Garden at Symdock

Billbergia

The Billbergia family is one of the most popular and easiest cultivated bromeliads, with the most exquisite flowers. They are natural epiphytes and grow well in large clumps, but have no difficulty in growing terrestrially. They enjoy strong light and very little water, as long as their tubular leaves contain some moisture at all times. The Billbergia family have shinny slender leaves with various colours from soft lime greens to reds and burgundy to black. Additionally their foliage comes with many patterns, spots, stripes, bands, silvering, shading and blotches. These vertical leaves are rather stiff and form attractively tall, tubular rosettes. They range in sizes from a very tiny 10cm to more than 1.5 metres in height. The very colourful and striking foliage is generally tall vase shaped to hold large quantities of water. All have small spines on their leaf edges for protection. The plants easily cluster and grow very well together in small colonies. The Billbergia family have glorious flowers, which unfortunately only last a short time. The large and extremely brightly coloured bracts, hold the magnitude of largish brilliant coloured flowers. Some have large vertical inflorescences, while others are long, slender arching spikes and other are pendulous, with all having extremely bright bracts, bright primary leaves and striking flowers. Billbergia pyramidalis and nutans would be the most common garden grown bromeliads in Australia.

"Fantasia" Billbergia Fantasia is a very beautiful, yet extremely hardy hybrid plant. The white spotted green coloured leaves on top and silvery white frosting on the underside are very beautiful. The plant is strong and tough, with excellent growing characteristics and good tolerance to almost direct sunlight. The long shinny speckled leaves with whiter matt backs form a tall cylindrical vase and are a very attractive all year, even without flowers. The very striking large purplish flowers held in brilliant red buds and vertical bracts on a short stem, last for several weeks. Billbergia "Fantasia" grows 30cm in diameter and 45cm high, either in a medium sized pot, the ground or attached directly to a log or tree branch.

"Rainbow" Billbergia "Rainbow" is a very colourful, yet hardy hybrid plant. The white blotched purplish coloured matt leaves are strong and tough, with good growing characteristics, requiring plenty of light. The long slender leaves are a very rich contrast colours to lift any garden spot. The numerous flowers are very striking dark blue edged and green petals held in bright red buds and bracts on pendulous stems, with the large bright red primary leaves that last for several weeks. Billbergia "Rainbow" grows 35cm in diameter and 50cm high, either in a medium sized pot, the ground or attached directly to a log or tree branch.

nutans Billbergia nutans is commonly known as "Queens Tears" and is a very beautiful and hardy species plant. The very narrow leaves hide the strong growing characteristics. The long slender ribbon leaves are a very rich matt silvery green. The flowers have very striking purple edged and green centred petals rolled backwards to expose the very long light green filaments with large quantities of bright lemon yellow pollen on the anthers. The stigma extends well past the anthers. These multiple flowers are supported by bright pink sepals from the green calyx. Protruding from the very large pink multi bracts, the flowers are displayed above the foliage and only last for a week. This precious Billbergia nutans plant grows 40cm high, either in a medium sized pot or directly in the ground. They make large clusters very quickly.

name? This Billbergia is a very pretty hybrid plant. The slender leaves are colourful, strong and tough, with excellent growing characteristics in good light. The long ribbon leaves are a very rich shinny green with white edges on the topside and silvery matt variegated on their underside. The flowers have very striking green petals opened to expose the very long green filaments with large quantities of bright lemon yellow pollen on the anthers. The stigma extends well past the anthers. These multiple flowers are supported by green sepals and calyx. The flowers and pink multi bracts are displayed just above the foliage and lasts for a week. This Billbergia grows 35cm high, either in a medium sized pot or directly into the ground.

name? This Billbergia is a very colourful and hardy hybrid plant. The purplish coloured top and silvery frosted banded underside leaves are strong and tough, with excellent growing characteristics when enjoying good light. The shorter squat leaves are a very rich purple colour, particularly with the light passing through them. The flowers have very striking purple tipped and silvery green petals exposing the very long light green filaments with large quantities of bright lemon yellow pollen on the anthers. The stigma extends well past the anthers. These multiple flowers are supported by pink sepals from the green calyx. Extending from the very large red multi bracts, the flowers are displayed above the foliage and only last for a week. This Billbergia grows 30cm high, either in a small size pot or directly into the ground.

"Robert Saunders" Billbergia Robert Saunders is a very beautiful, yet extremely hardy hybrid plant. The white spotted pinkish green coloured leaves are surprisingly strong and tough, with excellent growing characteristics and good tolerance to almost direct sunlight. The long slender leaves are a very rich colour source all year, even when not flowering. The very striking purplish and green striped flowers held in bright red buds and on the red bracts and pendulous stems, with the large bright red primary leaves, last for several weeks. Billbergia Robert Saunders grows 50cm high, either in a medium sized pot, the ground or attached directly to a log or tree branch.