Start here http://fcbs.org/index1.html
Mail order is your best source, one place to start is Micheals Bromeliads in Venice Fl

Michael's is great,and another mail order/on-line source is www.tropiflora.com. Click on 'Carego Report',all kinds of plants and bromeliads,shown in color photos. Both sources are very reliable. Bob

Those are both excellent mail-order sources and both offer far more variety than you'd ever find in any local nursery, but you wouldn't have needed certification to take plants from Hawaii to New Jersey, unless you were stopping or changing planes in a certified state, like California, Arizona, Texas or Louisiana.

Can you describe the flower of the Aechmea you saw? The only thing that comes to mind is 'Foster's Freckles', and the flower is not terribly showy on that one.

Here is a link that might be useful: {{gwi:490204}}

Checked out te Michael's Bromeliads website...they have an awesome selection.Thanks! Pictured on the home page 5th from the left is the aechmea I was talking about. Its the one with a dark pink flower.
Wish I had known that we could have brought non-certfied stuff back to NJ.The places we went to told us otherwise, even though they knew we were from NJ.

I'm still not sure which Aechmea you're talking about, simba-nj. Michael's home page only has 5 pictures across the top and the ones on either end are Billbergia pyramidalis. The one second to the right is Ae. tayoensis, and if you saw that blooming in Hawaii, I want the name and address! ;-)

If you saw a picture on another page, maybe you could post a link.

Well, I just emailed Micheal's to find out what plants are shown on the home page. Looked up tayoensis on another site but its leaves looked different.This site has many photos: http://fcbs.org/pictures.htm

The one I saw had medium colored green leaves and a very bright dark pink flower. Didn't look at every picture on the above site yet...its rather overwhelming. The plant was at that touristy Tropical Plantation in Maui. They have a nice collection of bromeliads in their landscaping.

Try looking at this one on the FCBS site Aechmea 'Starbrite'

lisaclv, you were absolutely right.Micheal's responed to my email and the varieties were exactly as you said. I looked up billbergia pyramidalis in the database and apparently the one I saw was var. concolor with the very wide leaves. The only billbergia that I've seen here in NJ is "Queen's Tears" that grassy variety.I didn't know the leaves could be as wide as an aechmea. So I ordered a book from amazon.
Couldn't find Starbrite on the database. Maybe it is a new one?
Anyhow, thank you so much for your help. I really appreciate it.

Billbergia pyramidalis v. concolor is a very commonly used plant in Hawaii. You must have just happened to see it when it was in full bloom, as the flowers are a real flash in the pan. From the time you first notice a bud to when it starts to wither is maybe a week, so if you were thinking about getting one for the flower, you might want to at least get the cv. 'Kyoto', which is variegated and looks pretty when it's not blooming.

Here is a link that might be useful: {{gwi:490205}}

link below

Here is a link that might be useful: {{gwi:490207}}

One week? Wow, that is fast.So its not long lasting like the Aechmea fasciata. Kyoto has more attractive leaves, thanks. Hawaii must have many special varieties because I was so impressed. When I go to coastal areas in Florida I see bromeliads in the landscaping but it sometimes looks dried up and the varieties are not so exotic. Its funny because my husband and I were staying in Hilo and I remember seeing that David Shiigi listed in the yellow pages of Hilo and I wish we had called to ask to see his nursery now. I didn't know how impressed I was with the bromeliads until after returning. It will have to wait till the next visit.

A. Starbite is lovely but it is not the one I saw. It certainly has a beautiful and large bloom. Thanks for the link.I recieved Micheal's catalog list. Wow! so many! I'm holding back until I can research more about the culture and looks of each plant. Amazing. During my travels on the internet, I discovered the New York Bromeliad Society which will be a great opportunity to connect, learn, and see more.