Thursday, March 21, 2013

Billbergia 'El Jefe'

Billbergia 'El Jefe' is a nice medium-sized hybrid that usually blooms in late winter for me. When shade-grown, the plant has a rich chocolate-brown color with white spots.
In higher light the foliage takes on a more pinkish cast. The plant grows about 12-18" tall with an arching inflorescence.
The petals of the flowers mimic the sepals; both are pale-colored with a blue tip.
They are a nice contrast to the showy red bracts on the scape.
After the flowers decline the sepals turn pink, extending the colorful life of the inflorescence.