Bromeliads for novices and serious addicts #13, Sep 2010

A pinch & a punch for the first of the month! Well maybe but a new brom thread might make your life easier/faster.

We came from here: http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/1119950/

This message was edited Sep 1, 2010 6:59 AM

I've been very slack posting for a week or two - too busy with visitors, the flu, family etc etc. So where to start...
Mike you're test post with the 4-way pic is good - that way you can more quickly make us 4 times as jealous with your lovely broms!!
Jean a nice pickup for the eBay sellers mistake. I bought Ae. gamosepala var. nivea on the weekend, it should make a nice clumping plant. And that looks like a collection to me - i said that quietly - shhh - i don't think your hubby heard me ;-)
Charleen that's a pretty plant with the white & yes a healthy pup! Well done!
Marlene Ann, my Ae. FostersFreckles goes quite colourful in lots of sun.
Sue I hope you've got your land legs back by now. Your Aztec Gold is looking good.
Colleen the plants on the left side of that hanging pot look like Neostropsis B-Fire - they are a lovely burgundy & green combo in the right light & do clump nicely.

Thanks for opening the new thread Leisa! You're too quick!
I am still a bit wobbly on my land legs, but think its not as bad as yesterday.
It was really nice to catch up with you again and to see your beautiful garden! I can't believe you went to so much trouble for us, but thankyou anyway, because we really needed some sustenance after all that bromeliad shopping! I hope it didn't take you too long to clean up afterwards, we would have been happy to help. When you come here, I'll wait on you instead. We went to visit a private collectors home afterwards and added a few more plants to the collection.
Then on Sunday, we hit the Chandler markets (what a beaut market) then another private collector, then out to Joans, where she put on a spread aswell! Talk about spoilt! I came home with around 30 plants from that little expedition, and didn't get home till after 9pm, but it was an excellent weekend! I've photographed them all, but haven't repotted or cleaned them all up yet. I'll leave that for the weekend.
Here is another plant that decided to flower for my homecoming. Acanthostachys strobilacea, what a mouthfull!
Sue

30 plants Sue?
That's about my whole collection.
WOW....what a haul. Good on you.
Can't wait to see the pics.

68 degrees this morning been coolr this last week in hi 80's or lo 90's. It is getting livable now, Sue. Plants are going to have to be brought in before too long. Here it is September already. Greetings everyone.

Yes MArlene, I overdid it....slightly! I thought it would be hard to find plants I'd like, having already got a large collection, but they just jump out and say 'buy me, buy me'!
Here is the one I was mainly after, and I was not dissapointed! A great plant at a very good price!
Vriesea 'Rafael' (a variegated V. phillipo coburgii) I think Jen may have posted a pic of hers a while back, so now it my turn! he he
Sue

That nice Sue. Come on show us the rest. lol. Colleen

Charleen, your seasons seem to go so quickly, mind you, so do ours! Not long till xmas.
Whats on everyones wish list?
This is Vriesea 'Hawaiin Sunset', just for you Colleen
Sue

It's beautiful Sue. Your broms all seem so perfect. No browned tips etc. Colleen

Colleen, I think thats more to do with temperature and moisture. Our climate is quite mild, and well suited to most types of broms. Sometimes too much, or too little water causes tip death, but also cold temperatures and wind damages them. The plants I bought have come from a very well established bromeliad nursery, and were chosen for the sale table, so I guess I got the best of the best. Believe me, I have some not so happy and healthy ones here, but you'll never see those on DG! he he.
This was a bargian from the Chandler markets. A basket of Neo. 'Fireball's for $13! They'll go bright red now that I've got them in bright light.
Sue

Hi everyone ,Nice one Sue thirty plants !! just when you think your brommed out, along comes one you've just got to have, I don't have a wish list (not much I don't) if I did Vr Rafael would be on it!!!!!!! plant is Neo kay Jay

Thats a nice one Mike, kinda like N. 'Barbara' but with more pink through the leaves and redder leaf tips. What size plant is it? You're right about being brommed out. I thought I was, but am still checking ebay! hopeless.
Leisa, how are you mate? Probably lost amongst the broms in her garden.
Jen, how was your day in your garden? Did you get any rain?
We had some afternoon showers to settle the dust, but am hoping mother nature lets the sun shine for fathers day and the markets. It was bought to my attention that the local spring plant fair is due to be on next weekend, and I am unprepared and not financial. What if theres a brom I don't have already? I'll have to take a couple of my pups with me to swap if I have to. I wonder if that would work?
Here is another favourite purchase, Tillandsia streptophylla. Its quite a large plant and has that nice fat bottom look. I liked the fact it was all set to just hang and forget.
Sue

I must say, the Vriesea I posted before was labelled V. 'Hawaiian Sunset' but it has been brought to my notice, that it doesn't look anything like the photo on FCBS of David Shigii's V. 'Hawaiian Sunset'. I'm thinking it might be just V. 'Sunset' so am going to put in a second label untill I'm sure. I bought it at a reputable bromeliad nursery too, so you never can be sure about the label! It was bought on impulse, so thats the chance you take when you haven't done your research!
Sue

Hi all, nice to see you back Sue. Looks like you got some great bargains. I'll have to find something else to tease you with now that you've got your own Vr. Rafael. No rain today, just lots of wind. I took 7 grass pups off my Vr. galaxy today. It is just starting to flower. Hope most of them survive. This is a pretty Guzmania that I got at Olive's Open Day last weekend. Puna Gold variegated. I'm just a sucker for stripes. Jen

And even more stripes. Guzmania Delores.

And one final new stripey acquisition, Aechmea Blanchetiana variegated.

Hello, All. Here are the Twins. They are growing and looking good.
Yes, Sue Christmas will be here before we know it. I'll be bringing my plants in and you all will be putting your plants outside. Isn't it amazing ?
Love all your beautiful Broms.

Anyone have a bigger one of these? I'd love to see a picture.

I went to the Strawberry Festival at Chevellum State School last night. They had a garden stall and there were a lot of ordinary plants for sale. However ...I did manage to find two bromeliads in the mix.
What a bargain...one was $2.00 and the mini was 50c.

Anyone know the name the $2.00

...and the mini for 50c

Hi Jen, love all your variegated plants. I put my Puna Gold in the bathroom to enjoy the flower. I'm not sure where I'll plant it afterwards, but think it will need a shadey protected spot? My Blachi has been smashed by a small gum branch already, so I'll have to think about moving that somewhere else too.
Charleen your twins are looking great. I think you should get yourself an early xmas present and see if you can purchase a new one, but thats just the addict in me!
Hi Bree, I can't help you with the Dyckia pics as I'm not drawn to them asmuch as the softer leaved bromeliad varieties. They look alot like succulents eh?
Marlene, I have no idea on your first brom, but the second looks as though it has Neoregelia olens in it. Give both a bit more light and see how the colours come up.
This is Neo 'Tiger Cob' albomarginated (means it has white leaf margins) This was my biggest, yet smallest purchase of the bromeliad road trip.
Sue

Very pretty .

Nice weed woman, i'd have bought it too. Yeah the Dyckias do look like succulents and i dont like them as much either but ive never had them and i couldn't say no to this with the red margins. They'd like it drier than broms wouldn't they?
My tiger is getting burnt i think and its not even summer yet. boohoo!
I'll have to get my butt in gear and plant some bigger trees in the garden to shade the broms.

Is that Neo. 'Blushing Tiger' Bree? It looks great and has plenty of stripes. I'm thinking of putting up shade sails in the garden, as they will always be in the same spot and not grow like trees do. I have to think about it a bit more and see how much it will cost.
Here are a couple of minis I got.
Neo. 'Cougar' and Neo. 'Little Faith'
Sue

Whoops, forgot the picture.

Beautiful, girls. Absolutely beautiful...

Hi all, I started doing some separating of pups yesterday, but it started to rain. Luckily I actually fertilized most of my non-brom plants (gardenia, camellia etc) a few days ago, so the rain will be good for them. But I've still got plenty of de-pupping to do.
I bought a few things at the Olive Branch last Sunday, mainly a few minis for $8 each, which I thought was pretty good value. i've been re-organizing my baskets on the fence to include the new things too.
Sue I saw those Neo Tiger Cobs at Olives - boy they were expensive! Your Vr. Raphael is lovely too. And that clump was a great pick up for $13!
Mike, your Neo kay Jay is a perfect plant - just lovely!
Breeindy your tiger has great colour. I've got Blushing Tiger, which doesn't go as red as that, but Cherry Tiger which does. Which is yours? Re dykias, I understood they actually like moisture. I'll have to check it out & see where I read it - maybe I was dreaming...
Marlene Ann -some nice bargains there!



This message was edited Sep 6, 2010 6:14 PM

I'm back again with pics of my new babies.
These were going very cheap and as I always get nice plants from this lady, I had to buy.
First one is V. vegans. I love the near black bases to the leaves.

next is neo. macwilliamsii. I did look up some pics of this one and they all seem to be plain green , but you can see all the red powdering on this ones leaves. Very pretty. I did read that the centre will turn red when about to flower, but this is a lovely sprinkle of red all over. Maybe a wrong name ??

Last one was bought as A. blanchetiana. I already had one but it didn't survive the cold. It had smooth leaf edges where this one has short sharp spines along the edges. Again, maybe wrong name. The plant I got is about 34cm tall, so a nice large one.
While looking at all my other broms, I see that my matchstick has put up a flower stem.


This message was edited Sep 7, 2010 3:41 PM

Hi Leisa, good score on the minis. I am glad you finally got there after all. You must have picked up a bit from when we saw you. Have you got your voice back? Whaich minis did you get?
Jean, jean, jean, you are naughty! I'm not sure about your Neo, as I don't have N. macwilliamsii, but have N. compacta which is greeen and turns red in the centre. The two are often confused, but compacta is much smaller apparently.
Vriesea vagans is a nice one, and looks best in a basket, or on a tree so you can see the black bottom. I bought one twelve months ago and it has 3 pups already so will soon form a nice clump. Good score, and I hope your A. blanchettiana does well this time. Is it the plain green one, or will it turn orange/yellow in the sun?
This is Neoregelia 'Bird Rock' which is a nice purple/marron colour with frosty stripes on the underneath of the leaves.
Sue

Sue, the blanchetiana is green at the moment . I suppose it may turn later when the sun gets here. I will put the V. vegans in a basket. I an hoping to put lots of the smaller ones in baskets . I am very pleased with the way they are all growing and how they handled the cold. It was a surprise when I noticed the flower stem on the matchstick as it is at the back of the bench.
Sssshhhhh, I didn't mention that I also have 2 more small tillandsias. I found a couple of pieces of cork for mounts for them. You remember those kitchen storage jars that always had the wide round cork tops. ( about 31/2 inches wide. ) Looking in one of the shops in Hamilton , I saw 2 on the shelf and grabbed them. There were no more so I'll look in the op shops. Hubby hot glued the plants on for me. I hope they grow now.
Jean.

This is my favourite neo and it is "Unknown ?"
I love the rosette shape and the colouring.
I would say it is the one I would save in a fire... or flood.

Hi Jean, don't put your blanchettiana straight out in full sun, but gradually, or it might burn. Even the plain green one goes a lovely lime colour. I have only put mine in the sun this year, and one is just beginning to go a bronzey orange colour. Your A. gamosepala (matchstick one) is a real toughy! They are a reliable fowerer, thats for sure.
You can use almost anything to mount your Tillandsias on. Small slices of wood, or a gnarley branch, even a rock will do. I usually tie them on with a bit of nylon fishing line, then I can cut it off when the roots have attached. Don't hold your breath! Most of them are reasonably slow to grow.
Marlene, that is a nice brom. I love the honey yellow colour and how it contrasts with the burgundy. It does have a nice shape doesn't it?
Here is a pic taken through the car window, of a local garden. I think these are Aechmea distichanthas. They are quite spikey, so you'd want to be sure you're garden was weed free when they went in, cause I don't think you'd want to be weeding around them. They will get alot brighter pink than here, and last for months. Then the frangipani will grow its leaves back and they will be hidden in shade untill next winter.
Sue

Marlene, that is a pretty neo. I love the indents in the top of the leaves -I makes such a pretty shape. The colour is great too.
Sue that simple mass planting is very effective! But yes weeding would be fun - NOT! mass planting of "flowering broms is really under-used.

Hi everyone. It was nice to meet some of you recently when we had our brom day at Olive Grove and over to Leisa's for lunch. Jen showed me this site this morning when I was at her place and I have just spent all evening reading past postings. Mike I wish I had discovered your garden when we were up in Tannum for a week at the end of our holiday in June. We left straight after Easter in our winnebago up the east coast to Cooktown then across to Atherton and further to Karumba in the gulf then back through Longreach etc and back to Tannum for a week to recover before heading home to Brisbane. Along the way we picked up 73 babies to bring home. Mike I did discover a grower in Tannum and bought a few but wish I had found your place. Love to catch up with you on our next trip. We love the park at Tannum and plan to return. Picture attached is the first one I grabbed from my photo folder.
Wendy

the neo in the front is piccolo - one of my favourites. Wendy

Leisa- mines called blushing tiger, its in full sun which i don't think it'll like in summer.
Marleneann- love that brom, looks a little like my fairy tale.
Wow perke nice photos of all them lovely broms.
This is fairytale...

This message was edited Sep 8, 2010 4:59 PM

Bree...the nursery I got the brom from said it was a hybrid crossing but had lost the name. So I will probably never be able to match it.

Pic of another one I like Neo. Medusa

I have a few bromeliads, but many are not named. Most are very ordinary. This one has a medium size plain green plant, but the flower is extraordinary.

Racinaea fraseri, inflorescence: