by Cheryl
(Southern, Ontario, Canada)
I have a plant that I am trying to figure out what kind it is.
I always thought it was a cactus, but it has flat, narrow jagged, sharp leaves.
It almost grows similar to a Spider plant, with the narrow, long leaves growing out from the center, but it sprouted others in the pot, so I now have 3-4 together.
I have had the plant for over 2 years and it recently flowered, which I didn’t realize it could do.
It started as a narrow pink bulb on a long shoot with weird cone looking spiky things poking out the end of the closed bulb, it has now opened up and the greenish spike things in the center have purple and pink colored rings near the end….it is a very long flower.
The leaves are not thick, they are quite thin but are very rigid and sharp, like a razor and have little spikes along the outer edge.
Comments for Flat, green, sharp and spiky narrow leaves with creepy weird flower
Jan 12, 2021
Identity of your mystery plant
by: Patrick
I think it’s a type of bromeliad (2 years later, only just found this site). I have one in a hanging basket and one planted out. I really have them for the flowers.
Mar 26, 2018
Thank you
by: Em
Thank you! I have the same plant and same situation as you – it flowered after a few years. Great to know it’s name 😀 A lovely flower!
Sep 09, 2014
No Creepy – gorgeous!
by: Jacki
This lovely creature is one plant that I just love – it’s known as Queens Tears. The botanical name is Bilbergia nutans, and you can see more about it here; Bilbergia Queens Tears
Pink large blossom. Long and green plant leaves.
by Lou Carrier
(Huntington beach , CA)
Pink large blossom. Long and green plant leaves.
Hi Lou, this is an incredibly beautiful plant with those weird dangly blooms. These are Bilbergia nutans, the Queens Tears.
These are fascinating plants, quite plain until those absolutely jaw dropping flowers emerge. All the bromeliads have something of merit to offer – did you know that Pineapples come from this family?
Queens Tears are very distinctive, even among all the other wonderful types.
Happy Succulent Growing!
Jacki
Comments for Pink large blossom. Long and green plant leaves.
Jan 13, 2019
Amazing flower
by: Anonymous
I have just identified this plant in my garden in the Algarve Portugal thanks to your site. Thank you so much.
Jul 20, 2014
queen’s tears
by: Laurie
I recently bought a large Queen’s Tears plant that needs dividing and a smaller one, both in bloom.. Fascinating ..
I have a lot of Epiphyllum (Epis) that I wait all year to see bloom. I have other succulents that continue to surprise me with the blooms. Just found this site and will join. Thanks~!~!
Feb 22, 2014
beautiful flower
by: mridula
these days this flower is blooming in my garden Shimla in India.
Sep 21, 2013
Bilbergia Queens Tears
by: Dirk
Lou, I’ve been searching sometime for the name of this plant that I’ve been cultivating for many years and finally found. Thanks so much of your efforts in making this search become a reality.
Amazing blossoms
by Ann
(Huntington Beach CA USA)
Clumping plant that surprises me when it blooms. The blossoms are pink, green, yellow, and blue! What can it be?
Hi Ann, this gorgeous creature is called Queens Tears – you can see more about it here: Bilbergia nutans.
It’s a bromeliad, a group which has some of the most interesting plants; some are the vase shaped Blushing Bromeliad which you can see here.
Thanks for sharing the pictures of your lovely plant!
Jacki
Comments for Amazing blossoms
Nov 06, 2014
Name of my mystery plants solved!
by: Jan
I acquired a large pot of this plant 20 years ago and have successfully split the original into dozens of offspring.
All these years I have been growing them in a not so full pond and they have rewarded me with beautiful blooms every year. I thought they were a type of water plant! Thanking you for helping me name them, sending some off to the school fair tomorrow, I think they will sell well.
Feb 15, 2014
Bromelaid
by: Carrol Pace
My flowers were a DEEP red. A lady gave me my plant a year ago. It is amazing.
Aug 04, 2013
Queens tears
by: Anonymous
Hi we have this plant in our back yard, a friend gave it to me last year, and its the first time I have seen it flower. We did not know the name. I so happened to get on your website and just scrolled till I found it. My mother -in-law and myself are happy now to know the name. Thank you so much
Glad to help!
Jacki
Is this a succulent?
by Derricka
(Perth, Australia)
Long thin sharp edged leaves. Produces pretty green/blue bell like flowers emerging from a pink pod like casement.
I got this from my mum who’s had it for so long that she’s not sure where she even got it.
It was very overgrown and root bound. I split all the plants and repotted them. It hasn’t suffered from the splitting or repotting and is as healthy as.
Thanks for any help.
Hi Derricka, wow, nice plant! Be careful repotting plants that are blooming, sometimes the only reason they are is due to being rootbound – in some cases, they require that condition to promote bloom.
I’m pretty sure that this is some kind of bromeliad, known as Bilbergia nutans, the Queens Tears – what a gorgeous and evocative name – who but a queen could cry jeweled tears, which these flowers resemble? They also at times will weep nectar, which is thought to also be another reason for the name.
For care, as you’ve found, a small pot to keep the roots bound for best flowering. The roots of many bromeliads are not very robust and will be happier in a smaller container.
Water often in the summer, less so during winter to prevent rotting.
Bright but not intense light will keep these plants happy.
Enjoy your delightful plant, may it continue to ‘cry’ for you on a regular basis!
Jacki
Comments for Is this a succulent?
Aug 14, 2021
What plant is this
by: Cheryl name
I have had this plant in my garden since November last year, and thought it was just a type of “grass” but just last week I noticed a bright pink leaf growing in the middle and then this week this most gorgeous flower appeared. I didn’t know what it was called . Just happened to come across your site and all has been revealed . I just love it. I am hoping it will sprout some more flowers in time to come. Your site was very helpful indeed. Thank you so much.
