MOTHER'S DAY IS COLOURED CYAN

Courtesy of Tesco supermarket, I unexpectedly received a Mother's Day gift today, Friday 4th April. (In the UK the  celebration was Sunday 30th March).

A nice plant picture

The plant was sitting on a shelf in a white pot tied with a pink velvet ribbon. It was on its own and without any identifiers.  The plant was stunning. Without name or care instructions it was a beautiful mystery.  The lack of labelling or bar code was a problem for the store.  There was a bit of to-ing and fro-ing... 'no, there was no way to check it out on stock sheets. The man said it appeared to be left over from Mother's Day sales.

You take it ... the man said ... as a gift from Tesco. I was delightfully flustered. I carefully placed it into my shopping trolley.

 
Notwithstanding I was willing to pay for it, there was no way it could go through the system, I was told, as there was nothing to link it to. I was instructed to take it to the checkout with my shopping and yes,  I was assured it would be okay.  The cashiers would be told it was to be let through. 

At a Checkout:  I have been given this as a gift there's nothing to pay - I told the cashier - she grinned at me, looked at the unidentifiable plant - and she was mystified as to what to do. 

I was to tell you it is a gift, I re-asserted, and I explained  the story.  

........Oh, you really mean it ....yes, I said.

Tonight I had a fascinating time researching:

I looked at succulents......it was not one of those.
It's a Palm I was told........  it was not one of those.

Scouring various internet sites, I came across a botanical tropical plants identifier site.  It's amazing what can be found when you accidentally hit upon the right search terms.  Peering at page after page of interesting  plant thumbnail pictures, one species eventually jumped out  at me.

This is what I found and it is what I have!

The Tillandsia (Tilly) Cyanea, a Bromeliad native of the Ecuadorian rainforest.