PlantFiles: Billbergia, Bromeliad
Billbergia amoena

Someone gave me a rhinzome of this plant many years ago but didn't know what it was...thanks to your website I now have that knowledge and have added others to my collection.
Amoena is a very beautiful bromeliad that has multiplied to a large patch and are now in full bloom for the Thanksgiving holiday here in Central Florida. They are growing in full sun and the leaves have a pink tone to them which makes it even more spectacular. They also went through a hard freeze last year without being covered and although I lost about half of them, they are making a great recovery.
Definately a 'must have' for Bromeliad lovers

An easy growing bromeliad, Billbergia amoena comes from the brazilian Atlantic Rainforest. It doesn´t requires any specific conditions to grow, besides average to high temperatures. It goes well in full sun or partial to full shade, in organic to sandy soils, even in coconut fiber substracts, as long as you keep it warm and have the central rosette full of water.

The leaves are of a shiny green, and make the plant look higher than wide (reaching up to 40cm high), forming a rosette, which should be constantly filled with water. From the middle, it gives a showy inflorescence with long, bright red bracts. The flowers are pale green with blue spots on the tips of the petals (it might atract butterflies). The fruit atracts birds.

The plant can be easyly propagated by dividing the rhyzome. It gives constantly new buds, so in one year you might have multiplied your Billbergia like 3, 4, even 5 times.

There´s also a purple leaved variety of this same species, but I personally like this one the most, because of the contrast between the green leaves, red bracts and the blue tips of the petals.