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Plant identification

jude.wayjude.way Posts: 5
in The potting shed
I rescued this plant over 40 years ago. It needs very little attention. About 3 years ago it produced this beautiful flower. The leaves on the plant have become very long and quite sparse.  A new little shoot has appeared. Could anyone advise me how to nurture this plant now? Many thanks!   
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Posts

  • thevictorianthevictorian Posts: 1,279
    Hi it's billbergia nutans, the friendship plant, a bromeliad. A quick Google should give you care tips but after 40 years you can clearly look after it. I think a little feeding is all that it might need.
  • Red mapleRed maple Posts: 1,138
    What a pretty plant. Sorry, can’t advise on care, but will concur with @thevictorian that all it might need is a little feed and possibly a little top dressing of fresh compost? As   thevictorian says, Google will probably give you answers.
  • Red mapleRed maple Posts: 1,138
    The new shoot might be a pup, in which case, you could probably pot it on.
  • thevictorianthevictorian Posts: 1,279
    These readily send out new shoots, they are called pups in bromeliads. It's due to this that they are called friendship plants because people pass on the new plants.
    I've got one and it thrives on neglect .
  • Slow-wormSlow-worm Posts: 1,630
    Nothing to add except that's gorgeous! And well done for all those years of care. 😊
  • Slow-wormSlow-worm Posts: 1,630
    thevictorian said:
     It's due to this that they are called friendship plants because people pass on the new plants.
    I've got one and it thrives on neglect .
    The friendship or the bromeliad? 😉
  • ValleysgirlValleysgirl Posts: 344
    How unusual I confess I’ve not seen one flower before although not like any other Bromelaid I’ve seen in flower , so pretty !
  • ButtercupdaysButtercupdays Posts: 4,546
    I've got a large one in my back porch and it has recently had 3 flowers . They appear at random intervals and dangle down over the edge of the cupboard on which it sits. They can drip sticky nectar, hence their other name the Queen's Tears, so be careful where you position it. The leaves on mine are a bit broader than yours and have not very friendly spikes along the edges, so it may be a slightly different variety, or be the result of different conditions.
     Mine gets plenty of sun and is near a radiator, but doesn't seem bothered by my sometimes erratic watering and I've had mine for donkeys' years too.
  • bertrand-mabelbertrand-mabel Posts: 2,697
    Over decades ago I had this in my lab in the school that I worked in. Every year it flowered and many of the students admired the flowers. They are so colourful. The plant was on the window sill (if that is right term for a lab) and got very little attention. When I left I left it behind and so probably dead now.
  • jude.wayjude.way Posts: 5
    Many thanks for all the helpful information on this beautiful plant. 
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