Australian and New Zealand Gardening: Bromeliads for novices & addicts, October 2012, 3 by weed_woman

weed_woman wrote:
Good morning everyone.
It seems all quiet an calm this morning, although there is alot of smoke in the air. There must be a bushfire in the area?
pic one is Neoregelia. 'Inferno'
Pic two is a border of burnt N. 'Satsumas'
Pic three is Neo. 'Barbara' aka 'Barbie Doll'. she fell off the bench in some wind this year, hence the damage.
Pic four is an Epi in the tree
Pic five is for Trish, and shows a pup of N. 'Amazing Grace' dark form, with not many lines at all.
Jen, your N. 'Amazing Grace' dark form has quite nice markings compared to what I have. It will be interesting to see the pups. As for your N. 'Blast' I can see that it has plenty of green in the lower leaves to support the Albinism in the top leaves. I would imagine the only thing to watch out for would be marking from extreme heat or cold? It should still throw a normal pup too, as it will throw from the lower leaves where there is still some green. I have an N. 'Bossa Nova' that produced a half albino plant, which has gone on the produce a fully albino plan, and they are all still attached to the original, which has never flowered. Its been a few years now. I wonder how long it will go on for?
How funny does the little baby owl look in the second pic? Kerry is a very god photographer.
Good luck wth your Billbergia seed raising. If you run out of room, send the best ones down here. ;-)
It looks as though Bucky was a much younger dog in the photo. And who is the other pup? Your son looks much younger also!
Ian, the reason your Ananas 'Tricolor' looks different is because it is variegated and not albomarginated like most. I don't know how rare or common that is, but I imagine you'd be happy with it?
Your Aechmea nudicaulis looks very well, and it has made me realise I must send mine north, as it has never coped well with the cool weather in winter, and will not thrive here. Any takers?
I might keep one pup and put it in the mini hothouse over winter and see how it goes. I'd better go and look at what is there before I go making offers. It might not have survived the winter?
I am sure you will work out how to make a multiple pot hanger, and look forward to seeing the end result, and perhaps purchasing them in the future, if you go that way?
Trish, I'm glad you have recovered. Sounds like you get pretty serious migraines. I've only ever been sick from one once, and had to have the jab. I go blind too, and can't stand smells, good or bad. Dark room, cold flannel cloth, no noise and a good scalp massage doesn't go astray. I don't get a headache anymore (praise the lord) but still get the rest of the symptoms on the rare occasion I get one.
Anyway, I like all your plants, and of them all, I have V. 'Maroon Shadow' and straight V. 'Hawaiian Rainforest'
Shirley, Its good that you have recovered also. Thanks for the offer of an N.'Pink River'. I am happy to wait and see if you get enough pups. You just let me know if you get one spare, and I am sure you will see something here that we can swap. I think I have that same N. 'Gee Whizz' that you have shown. As for being philosophical, I'd be a blubbering mess if I cried every time something in the yard was damaged or died! Living with gum trees has taught me to shrug it off. I just make sure my favourites are well protected.
Wendy, thanks for clearing up my Tillandsia question. I thought maybe Ross had hidden them from me? heh heh. I understand you not wanting to break up your clumps of T. ionantha. It takes a long time to get a good clump, and they look so good.
The Guzmania at Ross's looks enormous! Where on earth will Johnny put a collection of large ones? Lots of lovely pics there, and the Epis sure are bright. I have some hanging in trees around the yard, that are all budded up and about to burst into flower.
Nev, I hope your computer gets well soon. It only took me half as long to read the posts this morning, and I can't answer everyone in as much depth as you. I hope all is well in your yard and with your knees.
Sue