The Beautiful Plant Know as Queen’s Tears
Queen’s Tears, also known as Billbergia zebrine, are plants that have long tubular leaves that are slivery-white, are cross-banded and tend to become different shades of bronze when placed in bright sunlight. These leaves will grow to lengths of thirty-six inches and will grow to two or three inches in width. From these beautiful, rather large leaves, grow graceful, downward curving flower spikes. The blooms this plant produces are located on these flower spikes and add to the exotic look the leaves have already created. These blooms are either blue and white or pink and white bracts with greenish-yellow petals and may remain in bloom for months. When the blooms are finished, the plant will produce white, rigid berries.
Care of this plant requires the same elements as most of the other houseplants that are commonly grown. These elements are water, soil, light and fertilizer. This plant easily withstands drier conditions, but does require regular watering when the soil is dry to the touch. Queen’s Tears tend to grow best in regular potting soil and in a container that allows good draining. Keep this exotic houseplant rootbound when they are not in bloom. The light most preferred by this native of southern Mexico and northern Argentina, is filtered, indirect light, but many hours of it. The last element needed when properly caring for this plant is fertilizer. The fertilizer needed is just common houseplant fertilizer. All these elements are important when considering whether this exotic houseplant is the one for the area you need to put one.
If you are interested in a flowering, exotic houseplant, then this plant may not be the one you want. Mature Queen’s Tears will only bloom one time, not year after year, as some plants do. Only consider this houseplant if you are delighted with its foliage.
Propagation occurs when the mature plant completes its blooming. The offsets that are produced will grow to maturity if they are cared for like their mature mother plant. These offsets will bloom more than once while they are maturing, but once they fully mature, they will behave just like their mother plant that produced them and quit blooming.
Queen’s Tears, which are commonly found in Brazil, can be a very attractive as well as interesting addition to any home. With the proper care and attention, anyone can enjoy the beauty of this plant for many years to come. So if you happen to have an eastern windowsill that needs a little sprucing up, give this exotic houseplant a serious consideration. For more information, visit www.charlies-web.com/bromeliads-alphalist/tex137.html or www.cloudjungle.com/epibook/bill.html.
