A cultivar of (Aechmea chantinii x ramosa). The plant is an upright funnel form rosette with fairly stiff, 2 to 3 inch wide leaves nearly 24 inches long, with fairly large spines and reddish tips. The color is medium green with pale green variegation and light gray banding as with the chantinii parent. The inflorescence is well-branched and erect, with a rose-red scape and scape bracts and yellow flowers with rose-tinted yellow ovaries. Appears to be very long lasting in bloom.

 This plant was found in a Panamanian landscape by Bob Alonzo who obtained an offset, mistaking it for a variegated Portea petropolitana in its non-blooming state. He gave the plant to us upon his return. Since blooming, we feel the plant is the above hybrid and Harry Luther of the BIC concurs. Since there is no record of this cross in a variegated state in cultivation, we have decided to register it and name it in honor of Bob Alonzo who made the find.

A beautifully variegated cultivar of Aechmea blanchetiana, the result of an intraspecific crossing by Chester Skotak. It grows in the form of a typical Ae. blanchetiana, over three feet tall in a cluster of offsets, with three-inch-wide, stiff leaves, forming a funnelform rosette. The foliage is light green, does not tend to blush bronze or reddish, but has wide, bright cream-colored variegation. The variegation is bold and does not fade with age.

The inflorescence is typical of the species, tall, branchy, orange with yellow flowers. A spectacular plant for landscape in shade to full sun. At this point, still a desirable collector item.

CULTURE REQUIREMENTS

LIGHT	Full Sun to Shade
WATER	Frequently
TEMP	Warm
MATURE DIMENSIONS	3' x 2'
CARE	General Bromeliad Care Make Your Bromeliad Bloom

A rare large species from Bahia, Brazil that has an upright vase shape to about 30 inches tall, with wide, stiff and very spiny leaves.  The most outstanding character is that it takes on a red coloration from the leaf tips downward to about half the leaf as it matures.  The remainder of the leaf is light green. 

Does not bloom often and there is sometimes a bit of confusion with this species and similar Hohenbergia castellanosii, a larger plant with wider leaves and larger spines. Although the coloration is similar, the Hohenbergia has a ‘bloom’ or light veneer of a waxy powder over the leaf surfaces.  Aechmea ampla is glabrous or glossy. 

Of course, the surest way to tell is by the bloom, if you are lucky to see one!  Aechmea ampla has a laxly, bipinately branched green spike with very long branches and short sub branches bearing green sepals with pink flowers.