Both nature and hybridisers have crossed different generic species and hybrids to cultivate bigeneric bromeliads, since the plants arrived on this planet. Continuing variations are evolving today. Unfortunately most inexperienced attempts are not very exciting, but a few are "little gems" of design can result. Over the years, many interesting plants have been successfully developed, around the world.

The Bromeliaceae family group is divided into three subfamilies, Bromelioideae, Pitcairnioideae and Tillandsioideae, all with large number of genera. These subfamilies produce similar type seeds and are relatively easy to pollinate. This crossing of species of different genera to produce viable seed and hopefully plants is called bigenerics or intergenerics.

These hybridised plants are produced by taking pollen from one plant and depositing it on the stigma of a different genus. After the seed propagation occurs, the horticulturist must expect most of the plants to be varied, different and almost unpredictable, from their parents growing and flowering cycles.

Some of the bigenerics can have sterile flowers and pollen, but are able to reproduce by offsets or pups and in recent times, through growing tissue culture clones.

Guzmania x Vriesea "Jeannie"

Guzmania x Vriesea is a very striking and beautiful flowering bigeneric plant. This Guzmania is crossed with a Vriesea. The very shinny broad leaves form a dense compact rosette, the foliage being medium green. It's soft leaves hide the good growing characteristics.

The very striking large yellow flowers protrude from the multiple dark red bracts and are displayed high on the many branched dark red spikes, lasting for many months. The flowers appear to be sterile with some of the large yellow flowers being deformed, when opening.

Guzmania x Vriesea grows 50cm diameter and 65cm high, either planted in the ground or in a large pot.

x Nidmea "Loseriana"

The bigeneric cross x Nidumea "Loeseneri" is a very old hybrid from crossing Nidularium billbergioides x Aechmea calyculata. Just to confuse the crossing a little more the Nidularium billbergioides has been regrouped and renamed Canistropsis billbergioides.

The plant has the look and growth patterns of the Nidularium billbergioides, but has a completely different flower display.

The plant has long and slender bright green leaves. The soft leaves hide the strong growing characteristics. The very light flowers protrude from the numerous lemon bracts. These are displayed just above the green foliage and last for many weeks.

This plant grows 35cm high, either directly in the ground or in a medium sized pot.

x Neomea "Strawberry"

x Neomea "Strawberry" is a very beautiful pinkish green, yet extremely hardy bigeneric plant. The long slender leaves are surprisingly strong and tough, with excellent growing characteristics in almost full sun. The plant resembles an Ananus when not in flower with the similar rosette. The plant produces pups or offshoots in the leaf axils at the base of the parent plant.

When the plant is maturing and ready to flower, the rosette blushes into an extremely brilliant strawberry pink colour. The compact domed bracts are bright red and in striking contrast, the 1cm long flowers are bluish purple.

x Neomea "Strawberry" rosette grows 40 cm diameter and 25cm high, either attached to a tree, planted in the ground or in a medium sized pot.

Vriesea Phystabyis Rubra x Tillandsia Dedderana

This Vriesea x Tillandsia is a very striking and beautiful flowering bigeneric plant. They were produced by crossing a Vriesea Phystabyis Rubra with a Tillandsia Dedderana and are extremely rare. The very shinny broad leaves form a dense compact rosette, the foliage being medium green. It's soft leaves hide the good growing characteristics.

The striking yellow flowers protrude from the multiple branched dark red bracts and flower spikes. These flat, narrow sword shaped bracts standing vertically and multiple branched in dark red are displayed high above the rich foliage and last for many months.

This Vriesea x Tillandsia grows 60cm diameter and 90cm high, planted in a large pot.

x Neotanthus "Firefoam"

x Neotanthus "Firefoam" is a cultivar of unknown parentage, a medium sized and beautiful landscaping plant. The striking flat foliage is matt with fine spined edges. The olive green leaves are banded and marked with burgundy and purple coloured tips with the rosettes centre blushing to crimson at flowering.

x Neotanthus "Firefoam" rosette grows 30 cm diameter and 20cm high, either directly in the ground or in a large pot.