Can't see the flowers clearly enough to ID (need larger, closer pics) but the "small stems in the back with circles around them" are horsetails, Equisetum species. These are very primitive plants that produce spores rather than flowers but the ones pictured are the not spore-bearing form. These would need some sort of viable root(s) to grow and then you may be very sorry you planted them - they can be extremely aggressive, weedy spreaders and are best confined to a container.

FWIW, cut flowers of any kind are not inclined to produce seed. Once the flower is cut, all growth - and that includes seed formation and maturation - ceases.

The one on the far left is Aechmea gamosepala, a bromeliad. I believe the tall spike may also be from a bromeliad; it looks familiar, but I cannot bring to mind the name at the moment. The green ones in the back look like horsetail (Equisetum). Are they rooted? They are ancient and tough plants that spread readily underground, especially with adequate moisture. Be very careful where you plant them; they are extremely difficult to eradicate.

The yellow one in the back might be the flower spike from Aechmea calyculata.

There is no question about the ID of the horsetails :-) They are pretty much unmistakable........no other plant looks quite like them.

I tried to change each photo to an individual photo, but was not pleased. I did enlarge the original photo.

Everyone has been so helpful. The horsetails were all over one area of the plantation, so I am in agreement that they would need to be in a pot. They look like small bamboo and are quite attractive. Hope I can find for purchase. Actually they died even though they are prolific.

I didn't understand about the bromeliads. Are they spreading too wildly. Do they bloom all the time. If so, they would be great for the garden. I've never bought a bromeliad before. Thanks for any help. The Plantation name is Houmas House in LA. Gorgeous Garden.

Hope the names of the Bromeliads are easy. So many educated posters on this site.

Thanks for the info concerning the seeds in the flowers. That there would not be any. It seems no matter how I work with the photo, I am still getting the same size.

Carol

Unless the scouring rush pieces happened to be able to shed spores*, which then were able to grow a new plant or two in the potting medium this is all basically a cut flower bouquet that has been stuck into soil to no purpose - the one bromeliad spike on the right is not even in bloom yet, let alone should it be expected to develop and mature fruits that can be used to start new plants.

Except for Spanish moss all bromeliads produce a creeping root stock that adheres to rocks, trees, cacti or the soil, generates evergreen rosettes of pointed leaves from the centers of which emerge variably sized and shaped heads or spikes of small flowers such as the two shown here. Each rosette grows for some years and then collapses in a heap after flowering, to be replaced by new rosettes growing up from the root stock around it. An individual specimen may have a number of rosettes of different ages present at the same time.

Familiar tropical species with large showy flower spikes are often tree-dwelling species in nature that trap rain water in their leaf bases, instead of depending on a moist rooting environment. These kinds need to have these water reservoirs kept filled at all time or they will shrivel.

*Or have some viable root fragments attached

Sporaceous or fertile forms of horsetails look very different than those that are sterile or unable to produce spores. Fertile and sterile forms of equisetum. While the photo is a bit indistinct, whatever is in the pot is too young/immature to be of value in this regard and as noted above, is just a collection of cut, dying plant parts.

Equisteum can be a very dramatic and structural plant in the garden, best shown off as a containerized plant, as an inground colony will attempt to take over if conditions are right and nigh on impossible to eradicate or control once established.

Thank you for everyone's help with these plants. I am posting 2 other pictures which also need ID. Unusual plants from the Houma Plantation. Carol

Sporaceous or fertile forms of horsetails look very different than those that are sterile or unable to produce spores

Can't tell for sure but I'm assuming this was a scouring rush and not a horsetail.

https://www.bing.com/images/search?q=scouring+rush&qpvt=scouring+rush&qpvt=scouring+rush&FORM=IGRE

I'm not sure why you are making a distinction between the two - they are both common names for most common species of Equisetum and are used interchangeably. And the methods of reproduction are the same - sterile, branching or leafy (or sometimes branchless/leafless, depending on species) stemmed shoots and separate fertile, leafless but spore-bearing shoots (typically appearing only early in the season).

Scouring rush does not spore on top of separate stems - see photos linked to above.

Embothrium, I am not able to receive your photos.

I am very confused about this plant. Whether it is invasive and the proper name.

I have looked at all the links, but they are not really the same looking plant.

I don't remember the

plant being so tall. It was very attractive. I do want to purchase if not too invasive.

Some of the comments are rather scary about this plant. Would love somewhere to purchase, but if invasive even in a pot, then no to this plant.

"Scouring rush does not spore on top of separate stems - see attached photos."

Sorry, but I disagree. Like other members of the genus, what you are referring to as scouring rush, Equisetum hymale, produces both sterile (sporeless) stems and fertile stems with a rounded spore cone at the top. (Fertile and sterile scouring rush stems).

carol, the plant in question is some species of Equisetum, commonly known as horsetail or scouring rush. Pretty much any of the species one encounters in the US are aggressive, even rampant spreaders if conditions are to their liking. To your everlasting regret if planted in the ground but relatively safe from world domination if grown in a container :-)) Your samples are just portions of stems and look to be newly emerged shoots as well, so not necessarily characteristic of any particular species at this point in time. More mature samples would be easier to ID.

The scouring rushes are Equisetum Subg. Hippochaete. The most fundamental point where these differ from Subg. Equisetum is in (most of them) producing persisting stems, upon which the familiar E. hyemale cones in summer - instead of producing soft, brown, separate coning stems in spring. The ephemeral, often delicate tops of the more frequently encountered representatives of Subg. Equisetum make them much less likely to be perceived and collected as some kind of substantial, decorative plant.

http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=1&taxon_id=310014

Well, I guess I have to give up on purchasing this for a pot. I looked up Equisetum Subg. Hippochaete for purchase and found nada.

Guess I am not supposed to have it expecially if it is invasive.

Thanks everyone. Carol

Carol - look for Equisetum hyemale. But research in depth before making a decision to purchase.

This forum can id plants better than any app I've ever come across. And the ids get 'peer reviewed' too.

Thanks everyone, I'll study Equisetum hyemale.

Seems simple enough, Carol