If it hasnt already pupped try and get them at 1/2 the size of mum. That way they have a better chance of making their own root system quicker. I forgot about my one and just cut off a pup the size of the mother. You look like your doing pretty well judging by how healthy they are. My Red Form is sending out a pup only after 18 months cause i have it in a small pot. Time for a repot i think. All the best Tim

Dave, I posted in the bromeliad forum as well. My money is on aechmea luddemaniana 'Mend'. I've grown it for years. It was an albo-marginate sport that arose at the Alberts and Merkel Nursery in Boynton Beach, FLA. That's where we picked it up in 1976. The name comes from four men who had part in raising it, but I am not sure I remember all of them....Merkel, Ensign, Nally, and Davis, I believe. Mr. Ensign also has the gorgeous variegated sport of Aechmea orlandiana named for him. I've killed that one several times, but have it right now. I don't think yours is just a lanky neoregelia in too-little light. You are getting good pink on the margins....I bet it blooms within the next six months and you get a tall spike with small lavender flowers and white berries that turn purple. Keep us posted! Bob in Indiana

Hi everyone. Luis - The plant with the red flowers looks like Aechmea 'Forest Fire' or Aechmea blanchetiana (Red form). The one with the orange/yellow flowers looks to me like Aechmea blanchetiana (Orange form). The words (Red form) and (Orange form) are not officially part of their names and are just added for the grower's benefit to distinguish between plants when they aren't flowering. I have three different forms of blanchetiana, yellow form (most common), red form and orange form, so named because of the colour of the flowers. See: http://fcbs.org/pictures.htm There are also other blanchetianas with different coloured leaves which in many cases are a more attractive feature than the flowers in my opinion, especially the "orange leafed" version. All of these do best in full sun here in our moderate climate where I live on the south coast of New South Wales Australia. The wind is their enemy though and it will knock their leaves about terribly. All the best, Nev

Number 2 is Guzmania monostachia.