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Billbergia nutans (Friendship plant)
1 hour care
per year
per year
0.45m
Max height
Max height
0.3m
Max spread
Max spread
2-5 years
To maturity
To maturity
Plant details
Botanical name
Billbergia nutans
Other names
Friendship plant, Queen's tears, Indoor oats, Air pines
Genus
Billbergia Billbergia
Species
B. nutans - B. nutans is a tender, rosette-forming, evergreen perennial with linear, arching, grey-green leaves and slender, pink-bracted stems bearing panicles of pale green flowers with blue margins, dark green tips and rose-pink sepals in summer.
Billbergia nutans is: Evergreen
Habit
Arching, Rosette
Flower
Flushed pink, Flushed blue, Green in Summer
Foliage
Grey-green in All seasons
How to care
Watch out for
Specific pests
Scale insects Scale insects
Diseases
Generally disease-free
General care
Pruning
No pruning required.
Propagation methods
Offsets, Seed
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Where to grow
Billbergia nutans (Friendship plant) will reach a height of 0.45m and a spread of 0.3m after 2-5 years.
Suggested uses
Conservatory, Indoor, Sub-Tropical
Cultivation
Grow outdoors as an epiphyte or in fertile, sharply-drained soil in a sheltered, frost-free site. Under glass, grow as an epiphyte or in epiphytic bromeliad compost in full light. Keep the centre funnel filled with water.
Soil type
Loamy, Sandy
Soil drainage
Well-drained
Soil pH
Acid, Neutral
Light
Partial Shade
Aspect
South, East, West
Exposure
Sheltered
UK hardiness Note: We are working to update our ratings. Thanks for your patience.
Indoor heated (H1), Tender in frost (H3)
Companion plants
We do not currently have companion plants added for this plant.
Botanical name
Billbergia nutans
Other names
Friendship plant, Queen's tears, Indoor oats, Air pines
Genus
Billbergia Billbergia
Species
B. nutans - B. nutans is a tender, rosette-forming, evergreen perennial with linear, arching, grey-green leaves and slender, pink-bracted stems bearing panicles of pale green flowers with blue margins, dark green tips and rose-pink sepals in summer.
Native to
Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay
Foliage
Evergreen
Habit
Arching, Rosette
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Colour
Flower
Flushed pink, Flushed blue, Green in Summer
Foliage
Grey-green in All seasons
How to care
Watch out for
Specific pests
Diseases
Generally disease-free
General care
Pruning
No pruning required.
Propagation methods
Offsets, Seed
Monthly care advice
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Where to grow
Billbergia nutans (Friendship plant) will reach a height of 0.45m and a spread of 0.3m after 2-5 years.
Suggested uses
Conservatory, Indoor, Sub-Tropical
Cultivation
Grow outdoors as an epiphyte or in fertile, sharply-drained soil in a sheltered, frost-free site. Under glass, grow as an epiphyte or in epiphytic bromeliad compost in full light. Keep the centre funnel filled with water.
Soil type
Loamy, Sandy
Soil drainage
Well-drained
Soil pH
Acid, Neutral
Light
Partial Shade
Aspect
South, East, West
Exposure
Sheltered
UK hardiness Note: We are working to update our ratings. Thanks for your patience.
Indoor heated (H1), Tender in frost (H3)
USDA zones
Zone 11, Zone 10, Zone 9, Zone 8
In order to add a note on this plant, please add this plant to your plant lists.
| This plant likes... | Garden match | |
| Soil types: | Loamy, Sandy | Tell us... |
| Soil drainage: | Well-drained | Tell us... |
| Soil pH: | Acid, Neutral | Tell us... |
| Light: | Partial Shade | Tell us... |
| Aspect: | South, East, West | Tell us... |
| Exposure: | Sheltered | Tell us... |
| Hardiness: | Indoor heated (H1), Tender in frost (H3) | Tell us... |
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