Australian and New Zealand Gardening: Bromeliads For Novices and Addicts - October 2014, 2 by splinter1804

splinter1804 wrote:
Hi everyone – Finally everything has had their drink of Seasol, so that’s another job to cross off the list, and now back to more re-potting.

Brian – A lot of patterned foliage Vrieseas won’t pup until they have flowered and I’ve found that especially true with the Fosteriana types such as ‘Red Chestnuts’. I have two that are different; one pups before it flowers and then nothing after it has flowered, and the other doesn’t pup until after it has flowered and then it chucks them up four at a time and that’s without extra fertiliser.

I love the group shots of your plants, lots of colour and it will just get better as the weather warms up.

The plant in your second picture looks to me like Vr. Ospinae var. ospinae. (See Pic.1) There is also a Vr. ospinae var. gruberi but the pattern on the foliage isn’t as fine as your plant and the colour is also variable (See pic’s 2, and 3) It seems like someone stole the “g” from the second half of the name on your plant’s name tag, but I think it’s incorrect anyway.

Neo. ‘Burnsie’s Spiral’ is also an interesting plant, often slow to flower, but continues to grow up and up often producing top and bottom pups.

Trish – I never laugh at people who say they talk to their plants; one of our elderly members claims she talks to her plants every day and she grows the most beautiful plants and is usually the most successful exhibitor in our shows. I only did it once when I told some Guzmanias that if they didn’t flower they were going to the tip; I had the most magnificent showing of Guzzies that year that you could imagine, so maybe they do respond to us talking to them.

Did you know roses have a secondary function besides producing beautiful flowers? Have you ever noticed that all large wineries often have rose gardens adjacent to the vineyards? The reason is that if there is fungus disease in the area it will attack the roses first and that gives the staff a warning that it’s time to get out the fungicide. I was told this by the vineyard manager at Brown Brothers in Milawa Vic.

Just to add to your comment about Cyclamens, I have found they seem to like the cold better than the heat. I know they are sold as indoor plants but as soon as ours start to look a bit droopy I take them outside and plant them (pot and all) around the frog pond and there they stay. They die down when they finish but come back the next year with double the show.

Thanks for putting me on the list for Neo. ‘Chiquita Linda’, maybe I might have more luck with a plant coming from a different area.

It’s a bit of a “tug of war” trying to pick a winner from your pic’s today, but I finally got it down to the Vr. 'Gigantea Siedeliana' and the Neo. NOID; of course being a Neo. man I have to give the cigar to the Neo. NOID, it’s a beautiful looking plant and I’d really like to go on the list for a pup if and when you ever get a spare.

Jean – It sounds like I could do with someone like you living next door to me to suggest other plants to put among the brom’s for a bit of extra colour.

That’s a great collection of good quality plants you brought with you and if you’re looking for one that will stand the sun and a bit of heat, you can’t go past Neo.’Nobel Descent’ or Ae. recurvata, although with the ‘Nobel Descent’, it’s best to move it during the cooler months to the area that will be hot in summer and give it a chance to acclimatise. It’s usually not necessary with the Ae. recurvata unless It’s been previously growing in shade.

You asked was there a miniature Ae recurvata and the answer is yes and it’s called Ae recurvata var benrathii (See Pic 4 and 5). They are very good as a border as well and come in various foliage shades from pink through to dark purple almost black.

Teresa – I haven’t had any luck with that link either so I guess someone doesn’t like us.

Time to go and pic’s today are 1 Vr ospinae var ospinae, 2. Vr ospinae var gruberi, 3 Vr. Ospinae var. gruberi, 4 Ae recurvata benrathii (Pink form) and 5. Ae recurvata benrathii (Purple form).

All the best, Nev.