[GrowRR] Billbergia saundersii?

Sat Apr 8 15:12:57 EDT 2006

I am avid Billbergia enthusiast.  I am located about 30 miles East of San Francisco. It is zone 9 here, with some light frost and freezes. Summer is hot, up to 120 degrees with little or no breeze. The only Billbergia I grow outside the greenhouse without patio or over hang protection has been Billbergia nutans. It grows, multiplies, and flowers every spring like clock work. I don't water the Billbergia nutans very much, nor really take much care of them. They always look great.

I tried Billbergia vittata out in the open and it survived without flowering or growing for several years. I returned the Billbergia vittata to the greenhouse and it went crazy growing, pupping, and flowering.

Most Billbergias are from Tropical Brazil. I find they they do alright in my patio which has an over hang as well as bricks on three side and the house on the fourth. 

The Billbergias with variegation need more protection and the variagation is more tender in general. I do not recommend variagated forms out in the open. Billbergia amoena are rather cold sensitive as well.

I have not tried either Billbergia alphonsi joannis nor Billbergia euphemiae out side the greenhouse. I do have a Billbergia saudersii that I have left in my patio area this year that looks like it does not like the cold very much. It has been a warm moderate year so it has not even been that cool this year.

I believe that Billbergia alphonsi joannis is endangered and/or on CITES list so take special care of this gem.

Good luck growing your Billbergias!

RK

-----Original Message-----
From: FZachariah at aol.com
To: GrowRR at bsi.org
Sent: Sat, 8 Apr 2006 09:06:22 EDT
Subject: Re: [GrowRR] Billbergia saundersii?

In a message dated 04/08/06 02:03:56 A.M. Central Daylight Time, allanladd at aapt.net.au writes:
Billbergia saundersii,
Billbergia alphonsi joannis            and
Billbergia euphemiae purpurea,    are all these plants very tropical? 
  We have grown Billbergia saundersii outside here in Baton Rouge, La.,
for probably 10 years now. Not happy with the light freezes, but bounces
back fine once the weather gets hot. As expected, best if up against a
south structure or in the older part of town with a lot of live oak canopy.
Of course, we have avoided the harder freezes (low 20* F) the last few years,
so I always save some in a greenhouse for 'the inevitable.'
  For those interested, the Tillandsias Spanish Moss is native and Ball Moss
is a release that is spreading.
  The Billbergia nutans group are all as cold tolerant as saundersii. Will grow
even exposed or in a patio pot with just a sheet for protection for those 2-3 days of sub-freezing mornings.
   The most cold tolerant vase brom that I've discovered is Quesnelia quesneliana. We can grow it in large clumps here. It also has the most vicious
spines of any that I grow, so mulch heavily so you don't have to do a lot of weeding.

   Frank

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