Leaf margins are usually finely toothed and the tip is pointed. In spring, the rosette gives birth to an arching flower stalk that bears a remarkable inflorescence that has been likened to a bird of paradise or the tears of royalty.
The 6 in (15 cm) flower stalk is topped with several 3 in (7 cm) red-pink bracts from which emerge hanging clusters (panicles) of 2 in (5 cm) flowers that have pale green petals with dark blue margins and backward curved sepals that are rose-pink with greenish blue margins.
- Scientific Name:
Billbergia nutans H.Wendl. - Common Names:
Queen's Tears, Friendship Plant - Synonyms:
Billbergia nutans var. nutans, Billbergia linearifolia, Billbergia minuta, Billbergia schimperiana - Family: Bromeliaceae
- Subfamily: Bromelioideae
- Genus: Billbergia
- Species: B. nutans
Origin:
Billbergia nutans is an epiphytic bromeliad native to Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay, and Argentina.
Hardiness: USDA hardiness zones 10a to 11b: from 30 °F (−1.1 °C) to 50 °F (+10 °C)
How to Grow and Care
Billbergia nutans plant is often used as an ornamental plant and it is the easiest to grow and most adaptable bromeliads for indoor use. Given an adequate amount of warmth, they will usually grow continuously.
Light: Bright light with at least three or four hours of direct sunlight every day is essential for good leaf colour and regular flowering.
Temperature: Billbergia nutans grow well in normal room temperatures. Varieties of this species can also tolerate quite cold temperature – down to about 7°C (45°F). In the summer, this particular plant enjoys warm temperatures outdoors between 18 to 27°C (64-81°F).
These plants will thrive in moderate humidity, but still benefit from being kept in a spot where they can be misted often to increase humidity...- Learn more at How to Grow and Care for Bromeliads.
Varieties
Two varieties are recognized:
- Billbergia nutans var. nutans
- Billbergia nutans var. schimperiana
Links
Back to genus: Billbergia
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