Neoregelia burle-marxii hybrids

From Brazil, I recieved some seed of what appeared to be Neoregelia burle-marxii. While it is not exactly the same as published details of the species, it is obviously related. I used this as the seed parent for all of the following hybrids and the results are quite lovely. Apart from the various levels of red speckling, many of the hybrids also show an underlying white layer at flowering time. The other parent I have in my notes as Neoregelia Brazilian Hybrid, unfortunately I didn't photograph or keep this plant seperated, so I now can't remember what it was!

Neoregelia 'Leprechaun'
A great little hybrid, with a rosette of rusty red speckled green leaves about 40cm wide. At flowering the centre goes a lovely speckled pink, with white underlay.

This variety can take a reasonable amount of sun, but some burning may occur with midday sun.

Neoregelia 'Exotica Fairy Dust'
The leaves of this cultivar are heavily speckled with red, particularly when grown in full sun, when they will also develop an underlying bronze cast.

At flowering the middle lightens to a lovely soft pink with an underlay of white. At full size, this plant reaches about 75cm across.

Neoregelia 'Exotica Fairy Queen'
Like 'Exotica Fairy Dust, this plant develops colour better in more sun. In the photo, the plant on the right has had more sun than the plant on the left, even though they are still attached to each other.

More than any other cultivar from this group, this plant shows the influence of its' other parent, which was probably a johannis hybrid. The sturdy leaves form a rosette 90 cm wide.

Neoregelia 'Exotica Tinkerbelle'
The littlest of this group, I had to call it Tinkerbelle. Well dusted with red, the slender bronze green leaves struggle to form a rosette 40cm across. At flowering the pink centre colour covers nearly a third of the upper leaf area, with undertones of white.