I forgot to mention that each leaf was rounded, not strappy.

Did it resemble any of these? (See link)

Here is a link that might be useful: Some brom pics

Does sound like Neoregelia 'Fireball', eh Kim?

Thank you catkim and gonzer for trying to help. No, it does not look like any of the pix on that website. The one I saw had a rosette that was fairly flat. The leaves were smallish, rounded, dark red. (All this depends on my faulty memory.) I was able to get hold of someone at the place where I saw this Bromeliad to ask the name. The person said it came with no tag, but that they'd do some research to see if they could find out what it was. If they can't help me, maybe I can get a picture of it and post it.

Yeah, I'm thinking Neo. Fireball too, gonz, just because it's fairly common. There are a lot of hybrids of it too.

The Tropiflora pics don't really show it well, in fact I couldn't find a good picture on the web, but the one in the link is one of its hybrids and has much the same form. The true Fireball would be darker red (in good light) and unvariegated, but is this what you mean by several "stalks", and flat, rounded rosettes, or are we on the wrong track?

Here is a link that might be useful: {{gwi:462693}}

Wouldn't be Tillandsia somnians? (I don't think - availability)

Thank you so much, all of you! You are right, it is Neo. Fireball. When I googled Neo. Fireball after you all suggested it, I did not find any pictures of it that resembled the plant I saw, which is why I initially didn't think it was Neo. Fireball. Today I got confirmation from the Arboretum I went to that it is Neo. Fireball. I called them because I just had to know what plant it was ... so I could track one down to feed my plant addiction :-)

lisaclv, that is a great picture. Yes, those are the "stalks" I was referring to. Sorry, I'm a bewbie to Bromeliads. In fact, the arboretum is going to give me a cutting and that cutting is going to be my very first Bromeliad. So any advice would be greatly appreciated. If I had found that picture on google I would have known right away which plant it was, but, alas, I did not. The only slight difference is that the leaves on the plant I saw were more rounded and darker red. But that may be a factor of a faulty memory! Thank you all!

Do Bromeliads typically have those "stalks" with pups? When I get this cutting should I just plant it in well draining soil?
How long before it will produce stalked pups?
Can you advise me about watering? I know you put water in the central cup, but do you water the soil as well?

Again, any advice would be greatly appreciated. I will probably grow the plant outdoor for the summer, but then bring it indoor and grow it with the orchids under fluorescent lights.

Thank you again.

Okay, first of all, the "stalks" you refer to are called stolons. There are a number of stoloniferous Neos, although the majority are not. Second, what you will be getting isn't strictly speaking a cutting, but a pup, also called an offset, or (in Hawaii and sometimes elsewhere) a keiki. Just so we get our terminology straight.

Neos need bright light to keep the colors strong. Probably the reason you didn't recognize this one from some of the pictures is because in less than optimum light condition the redness fades to green and the leaves become more elongated. The same thing will happen if you overfertilize. Bromeliads, and especially Neos, are highly reactive to their environment and the same plant can look completely different if grown under different conditions. This can make IDing something of a challenge!

Any well-drained potting soil will do, and if you just have one pup, a 4" pot is big enough to start it in. A common practice if you want a big, full specimen like the one in the picture is to plant 3 in a larger pot with the emerging pups all pointing outward. A single plant will take a lot longer to produce a big candelabra-type clump, and may be kind of lopsided because the new stolons come out on the opposite side from where the rosette was attached to the mother plant, so it kind of keeps going in one general direction, although they will fan out somewhat. Only if you keep removing them will you start getting some coming out the "back" side. You can just let it do its thing in a small pot until it gets really one-sided and then if you want you can cut it into single rosette pieces and stick all of them into a bigger pot together.

They root easily and are happiest if you water both the soil and keep water in the cup too, as they absorb water through the leaves. Don't use any more than one quarter the rate of fertilizer recommended for most foliage plants or you'll end up with something strappy and green. How soon it will send out a new pup will depend on the size of the piece you start out with. It might already have a new stolon emerging when you get it, they come out pretty quickly, not like some other bromeliads that don't pup until after they bloom. It shouldn't take more than a few months in any event. Give it the brightest light you can, which doesn't mean hot, blasting sun. I don't know where you live but they can sunburn, particularly if you've had them indoors and then move them out.

Thank you very much, lisaclv. Wonderful informaion. Thank you.

The only thing I worry about now is watering. It gets cold here. Do you do they same watering during the winter as you do in summer? Should the water sit in the cup in the winter? If you water enough so that the water does not stagnate in the cup wil you be overwatering?

I'm not exactly sure what type of Neo. I have, but I have to say that it was so easy to plant and take care of. I wonder if this variety blooms at all; is blooming common in Neos?

The plants have been sending out pups before they bloom, which I guess it's normal. Oh, well, it's no real loss if they don't bloom. They are still really great plants, can't wait for the pups to get bigger!!