Question
I received a plant from the flourist that I cannot identify and am not sure how to take care of the plant.  The plant has several big wide, tough leaves, and three bulbs that have like a cup in the middle that you can pour water in.  The blubs are big, pink, round, and have prickly edges all over them.  You cannot touch them because of the prickly edges.  I am watering the plant and think I may be watering it wrong.  The bulbs are drying and turning a grayish color along with the faded pink.

I am also wondering if you could set the plant out in a  flower bed.  Please advise what the name of this plant is.  I would greatly appreciate it.

Thanks!

Answer
Odds are, if you picked this up at a Florist, it is not going to be hardy outside -- able to survive temperatures below freezing, perhaps even warmer temperatures in the 30sor 40s.

Sounds to me like you picked up a Bromeliad -- a Tropical Rainforest Native.  Please see the following links to illustrations for literature at the Internation Bromeliad Society and let me know if any of these look familiar, or close to the real thing:

http://bsi.org/

http://bsi.org/

http://bsi.org/

http://bsi.org/

or this slide show from Green Arrow Nurseries:

http://www.greenarrownurseries.com/gallery/slideshow.php?set_albumName=album314

or this 'Bromeliads Care Info' website:

http://www.bromeliads.info/

These resemble the tops of pineapples (a type of Bromeliad).

Best way to water:  fill the cups and keep the potting medium moist.  It would be nice to confirm this Bromeliad i.d. first, then we can move on to the next step.  rsvp