Bilbergia is a plant of the bromeliad family. This family includes vriezia – the most beautiful of the bromeliads, gusmania, cryptantus – the leader in the color of leaves, neoregelia, echmea, as well as the famous pineapple. Bilbergias are considered the most unpretentious of the bromeliads. Plants have hard, spiny long leaves along the edge, collected in a rosette. The inflorescence is pink or red. These are indoor plants for a bright and warm place. There are several types of bilbergia: magnificent bilbergia, green-colored bilbergia, pyramidal bilbergia, Sanders bilbergia.
Bilbergia drooping (Billbergia nutans). Farmer Burea-Uinsurance.com PaTTGReGoR
Description of bilbergia
Bilbergia are epiphytic plants (plants growing on the trunks and branches of trees, using them as a support, but not parasitizing them). They absorb moisture from the air with the help of air adventitious roots. Epiphytes are fed from rain moisture and humus accumulations in cracks, so bilbergia can be grown on snags.
The most popular type is bilbergia drooping… For drooping inflorescences, it is sometimes called “the queen’s tears”. Bilbergia has narrow, long leathery leaves, light green, like grass. The peduncle is curved, with a drooping pink inflorescence, the most beautiful part of the plant is red or coral bracts with discreet flowers and stamens.
Bilbergia feels great in a warm and bright room… In winter it is better to define it on the south window, in summer it can be taken out onto the balcony. She will calmly transfer the lack of attention on your part, the main thing is that you do not need to forget about timely watering: the substrate must always be moist. By the way, about the substrate. It should be porous and well-drained. It is recommended to fill with drainage at least 1/3 of the pot height. The earthen mixture is made up of leafy earth, humus, peat and sand in a ratio of 2: 1: 1: 0,5. You can add sphagnum, coniferous bark to the mixture.
In winter, plants are rarely watered and lightly sprayed, preventing overmoistening of the earthen coma. In summer, watering is increased and combined with top dressing. For watering, it is better to use soft (lime-free) water at room temperature.
The first flowering can be expected in about three years.
On a note:
- Bilbergia is a very hardy plant, but shaded area and dry earthy clod negatively affect its flowering.
- The plant does not tolerate direct sunlight.
- Plants are transplanted after 2-3 years. At the same time, the overgrown bush is divided.
- Like most bromeliads, bilbergia is watered directly into the outlet, but only if the air temperature is above +20 ° C.
- Other types of bilbergia are also beautiful: magnificent, green-colored, pyramidal, Sanders bilbergia, which has bright red wide bracts and blue tubular flowers. Her leaf color is also original – variegated, with pink, white and green spots.
Wonderful offspring of bilbergia
Some time after flowering, the rosette dies off, and a new plant grows from a creeping stem or rhizome, which blooms in the next season. It is recommended to cut off old sockets 1-2 months after flowering. Flowering is promoted by daily spraying with soft water., the formation of a plant in the form of a bush, summer content of the plant in the fresh air in partial shade.
Bilbergia is propagated by lateral shoots or division… If the shoot is detached too early, it will grow slowly, or it may die. If you separate it late, then you may no longer get other shoots. Therefore, it should be remembered that lateral shoots are separated from the mother plant only when they reach a height of at least 1/3 of the progenitor and form a well-developed root system of their own. It is necessary to plant young plants tightly, since their roots are poorly developed and are easily washed out when watering.
Plants can be affected by scale insects and mealybugs. When the substrate is waterlogged, root rot is observed.
Author: T. Egorova.
