Bromeliads

I seem to have amassed a confection of bromeliads over the past few years. They're just a bit collectable! They are extremely adaptable plants, and range from moss-looking plants (Tillandsias uesnoides in Sarasota) to gigantic triffids (Puya raimondii).I've found a few to be fairly tough, but not fully cold hardy in a London winter.  

This one is a hybrid called 'Sueños'. It is thought that the parents are Aechmea recurvata and Aechmea gamosepala. It's a real gem of a plant, and had survived a number of years outdoors, until the winter before last when I nearly lost it completely. Fortunately I managed to salvage a couple of offsets and restart it. From now on it will be my pet, cosied away in the garage over winter. You may not be able to tell from the pic, the plant is about 15cm tall.

This is Aechmea gamosepala, one of the commonest bromeliads in subtropical climates. It's fairly tough here too, but a heavy frost will usually bleach the ends of the leaves. I love the flowers on this one.

 

This is a Tillandsia aeranthos (stapled to an apple tree), which decided to flower recently, despite having been through -9C unprotected last winter.

These two Tillandsia bergeri have been outdoors for years, gradually offsetting/branching and a few flowers this year. I believe one to be a larger form, bought from Croston Cactus. The smaller is what I believe to be the typical form. Who knows? You can also see a Billbergia nutans flower, originating from a plant living in the hollow of the apple tree.

A typical winter scene!

Even out of flower they look cool!