Billbergia tessmannii DYCKIA Its silvery trunk has short

Its silvery trunk has short spines and forms a thick caudex

A bold plant that deserves a name

tapering to a point

is being stripped from the forests surrounding its native Rio de Janeiro

The rosettes can be up to 24 inches tall and about 6 inches in diameter

Billbergia tessmannii DYCKIA Its silvery trunk has shortThis is a dramatic, large growing species from the Amazon region of Peru, Loreto province in the vicinity of Iquitos. Tall, flaring tubes of silvery green with bold silver banding. The leaves are fairly stiff and long and taper to a thin point. Marginal spines are moderate. As a helicoid species, the inflorescence is spectacular; pendant to well below the base of the plant, bold pink bracts, pinkish ovaries and clock spring petals that are gray on the