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Billbergia nutans

hywel

By hywel

42 comments


I’ve had this plant for many years.
It’s called Billbergia nutans, and belongs to the Bromeliad family.

It’s a native of Brazil, Uruguay, and Argentina, and lives at elevations over 2000 feet. It grows on the ground, aswell as an epiphyte.

*The name Billbergia is after Gustaf Johan Billberg – a Sweedish lawyer who was interested in botany (1772 – 1844)

It used to flower often with me, but hasn’t done so for several years – until now :o)

There are several ‘buds’ (don’t know what else to call them lol)*

Here are the flowers opening

*I have two of them (one plant originally but split in two) and I often forget to water them for a long time.

One lives in this jardiniere.*

The other in a plant holder.

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Comments

 

nice plant hywel, im not good with house plants but nice to admire yours ;o)

16 Feb, 2011

 

very nice plant you have there Hywel......

16 Feb, 2011

 

Thank you both. I love plants in the house. Couldn't be with out them lol :o)

16 Feb, 2011

 

How lovely to get flowers again, thankyou for the information as well Hywel......

16 Feb, 2011

 

first flowering in several years ? your well chuffed with that I bet? Always up for info on plant origins & habitat, I enjoyed your blog. Thanks H

16 Feb, 2011

 

is this also okay for outside too then Hywel being it grows high altitudes - I would love this with the grasses in my garden !!:):):)

16 Feb, 2011

 

Thanks everyone for your comments on my plant.

Paul I understand it can tolerate quite low temperatures, but I doubt it would survive our winters - especially one like this year.

16 Feb, 2011

 

Thanks I Will risk it see what happens - it is very nice indeed so worth a go at it

16 Feb, 2011

 

It's worth a try. Good luck :o)

16 Feb, 2011

 

glad it has flowered again for you Hywel looks like a good healthy plant..i like the swan & the Gothic style carvings on the cupboard-sideboard it is standing on..:o)

16 Feb, 2011

 

It's a bookcase :o) Thank you.
The swan belonged to my gran but it was kept in the bottom of a wardrobe. I used to sneek in there to look at it lol

16 Feb, 2011

 

funny the things we did as kids..i had an aunt & i would sit in her parlour for ages looking into her display cabinate as it was full of china ornaments & nick nacks i loved it..lol:o)

16 Feb, 2011

 

lol Yes I remember some daft things :o)
There were two china lions in the wardrobe with the swan aswell but gran gave them to a jumble sale. I would have loved to have had them

16 Feb, 2011

 

bet they would be worth quite a lot now ,fancy keeping them in the wardrobe she must not have liked them..

16 Feb, 2011

 

My mother used to say they were on the mantlepiece when she was little. They must have gone out of fashion or something.

16 Feb, 2011

 

That's a lovely house plant, Hywel. Not seen one like it before. Talking of ornaments in wardrobes, my Mum has two white & black china dogs on the top of hers! She says "I don't like them enough to have on display!" Surely she sees them every night and morning? lol!!

16 Feb, 2011

 

Looks quite exotic Hywel - you've done well to keep it going all this time (I had one once, but it didn't like living with me!).

16 Feb, 2011

 

i think we are probably the same though,i have a garage full of household stuff & ornaments in boxes..i keep saying i will do a carboot & get rid of it all..but never get there.
Shirley, they are not the flat back ones that come on the antiques road show are they..worth lot of money if they are..:o)

16 Feb, 2011

 

They are flat-backed Joan ... with 'gilt' on them too! Right ... I'll be looking for a maker's I.D. soon! I know they were a wedding present from an Aunt of Mums ... back in 1950ish. If you don't hear from me again ... I'll be in Hawaii ... lol!

16 Feb, 2011

 

get on the "net" for a valuation, meanwhile keep them in the wardrobe..aloha..:o)

16 Feb, 2011

 

Love the plant and the swan both very unusual!

16 Feb, 2011

 

Thanks Sheila. Pitty it didn't survive with you. I find them indestructible :o)

Shirley - lol

Thanks Teds :o)

16 Feb, 2011

 

Well, Hywel, your house plant has turned this blog into a valuation day ... lol!

16 Feb, 2011

 

Funny how sometimes conversations stray completely off the subject :o)

16 Feb, 2011

 

Shirley if you end up making a mint out of them does that mean Hywel & i get a holiday as well ? lol.

16 Feb, 2011

 

Hmm ... let me think on it! : o ))

16 Feb, 2011

 

Yes - it's because of us the subject was brought up in the first place :o)) lol

16 Feb, 2011

 

lol Hywel that is right,dont think on it too long Shirley all the best resorts will be booked up..lol

16 Feb, 2011

 

Lovely plant- not a great fan of house plants- always end up killing them! Looks particularly nice in the swan ! :-)

16 Feb, 2011

 

This plant should be able to tolerate about -7C (I was told this by an RHS judge) and I grew it as a bromeliad on an apple tree for a few years before a bad winter finished it off

16 Feb, 2011

 

Hywel, I really like the hint of pink blossom that is appearing...your plant looks very attractive in the swan plant holder. I'm glad you retrieved the swan from your grandma's wardrobe. It deserves to be displayed and especially with such a lovely, free-flowing plant...perfect!

16 Feb, 2011

 

Thank you Red aly. Pitty you 'kill' houseplants lol. When I lived in a different house I couldn't grow many. I think it was the house that killed them ;o)

Thank you Andrew. I knew it could survive very low temps, but not as low as that. It's interesting. I may try a bit in the garden.

Thank you Whistonlass. Strange to tell the one in the swan hasn't flowered. Maybe it will in time.

17 Feb, 2011

 

Love your site Hywel- It's nice to know where to look for ideas and help with houseplants-keep up the good work :D

18 Feb, 2011

 

I'm glad to be of help :o)
It isn't my site though. I'm just an ordinary member ...
It's nice to be appreciated :o)

18 Feb, 2011

 

I meant your part of the site (not sure of the correct term),-sorry,am not very computer literate ,half the time it's just pure luck when I find what I'm looking for L O.. Very.. L !;D

18 Feb, 2011

 

It's ok lol. I'm not very good either - just hit or miss :o)

18 Feb, 2011

 

nice looking plant Hywel. nice pot its in also

18 Feb, 2011

 

Thank you :o)

18 Feb, 2011

 

lovely plant and lovely details .Just talk to the plant it will flower. Do not keep it thirsty please.

22 Feb, 2011

 

I do talk to them lol. And I play them some nice music :o) I water them with cold tea !

22 Feb, 2011

 

I just tend to either forget about house plants because their in the house and when I'm inside I'm in house work,cooking and cleaning mode! Prefer all my plants to be in the garden where I can concentrate on them- keeping an eye on them with mother natures help of course! :-)

26 Feb, 2011

 

Thank you Red aly. I water and tend the plants as I do the house work :o) And I also find them a welcome change from the drudgery of cooking/washing up (which are so boring lol)

27 Feb, 2011

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