Billbergia Santa Barbara
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Billbergia Santa Barbara
cv. of unknown distachia? nutans? hybrid?
Ian Hook, Sydney 10/02, from Parklea Markets.
Ian Hook, Sydney 04/03, from Parklea Markets.
Ian Hook, Sydney 10/06.
Derek Butcher - Notes from BSSA Bromgaz Vol41/04.
Wasn’t it interesting to see an old favourite Billbergia ‘Santa Barbara’ AND in flower? My experience over the years has been you needed to get a pot full of mature sized offsets before one decided to flower. Here we had just one plant and one offset.
This variegate has a clouded past. Some 55 years ago it was ‘found’ in Madame Ganna Walska’s garden in California. She was well known in the cosmetics industry after World War II. It was thought to be a sport of a hybrid of unknown parents. I can only see Billbergia nutans in the flower and we know how variable the plant can be in size. In other words I link it to Billbergia nutans var striata Reitz that cropped up in the wild."
* Perriam's Pride has all green petals. Santa Barbara has green with blue edge.

Updated 01/12/17