hi... i am new to gardening and plants. i just received a plant as a gift and i don't know what it is or how to take care of it.
it's a potted plant with long green leaves with a tall red thingy (possibly a bloom). the red thingy is kinda spiky.
i have been known to kill plants where people think it's more humane to give my cut flowers as they are already dead
i would really like to give this plant the proper love and care it needs so if you can help me with identifying this plant i would be most appreciative!

Is this it?

anthurium 'flamingo flower'

* * * *

I love the sweet scents wafting in the breeze. I stop to admire the vibrant colors of all living things. And people think me odd. Then ODD I am!!!

http://community.webshots.com/user/flugnash

I vote with cricket but I don't have a clue. I'm a new gardener and had a black thumb until the members got a hold of me. My plants are all doing much better. I'm strarting my own inside jungle and loving it.

Sounds like a bromeliad. Maybe 'Queens tears'.

* * * *
http://www.atreusonline2.com/garden.php

What's a bodega?

i think it's a guzmania... it's doing well and still alive. here's a picture just in case
[img] file://localhost/Users/clarkie14/Desktop/IMG_1067.jpg [/img]

Clarkie,

You may have read otherwise, but it is best not to put water in the Guzmania cup. You should water the soil thoroughly whenever the top half-inch feels dry to the touch. Do not repot it. Provide lots of bright indirect light with a couple of hours of direct sun; a north or east windowsill is best. It is pest resistant and rarely needs fertilizer.