Tillandsia / Bromeliads

Are there any Zone 9 gardeners out here who know a thing or two (or more) about tillandsia and /or bromeliads? Looking to bone up now that I finally live in the perfect climate and have somewhere to grow them :)

I see lots of native air plants when hiking around, always on the look out for them. Here is a nice link to identification of Florida native air plants.

http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/uw205

I've tried a few tillandsia that I bought from plant sales, so far they are still living in my garden, but have never re-bloomed. In March, Leu Garden's has an annual plant sale and there are a few very nice bromeliad plant stands there.


There is also a bromeliad society of Central FL facebook page....https://www.facebook.com/BromeliadSocietyOfCentralFlorida

I have a few bromeliads around the garden, some in the ground and in pots. They do very well here even with our few cold snaps in the winter. They enjoy my shady garden and the overhead oaks protect them from frost and harsh sun.

Here are some that bloomed this year, but the air plant still hasn't bloomed again.

Thanks! Those photos are lovely! I read that most tillandsia only bloom once in their lifetime, right before kicking out pups. I suspect that if you regularly separate them from their pups, this would become untrue.

The flowering part will eventually die after flowering, but the pups are new future plants. Most of mine I don't separate, just let the pups continue growing and let the mother die off, like they naturally would in nature. I never buy plant unless I see a new pup on it, since some are forced into blooming way before they are giving off new plants.

This is a new Tillandsia I just found that actually can be grown in soil...Pink Quill, Tillandsia cyanea.

Just learned my garden club is going on another field trip March 2 to a place right in Clermont which I have never seen or heard of Russel's Bromeliads and I've lived here 46 years. They said it is a huge nursery.
Will try to remember to post it when it gets closer to that time. I'm sure some of you would like to visit it before then.

Maybe it has a web site.

Bonnie

Hi, everybody! I think Russels Bromeliads was at the Leu plant sale. I went early on Sat morning because I am a member, but I couldn't get near the place to park so I came on home. I will leave much earlier next year.
Martha

Sorry you couldn't get into the Leu Gardens plant sale, parking is crazy. I go down a close by side street very early before 9AM and parallel park, about a block away or more. There were two nice Bromeliad booths there, one was by the Bromeliad Society, the other probably was Russel's, which had lots of Tillandsias along with nice Bromelia. I did get a new large Tillandsia that was really cheap and should get purple and pink flower. I put it in my bird cage outside with the other air plant. The Bromeliad Society sells just bare root pups for a lower price, so if you're looking for a Bromeliad that is costly a pup is the better way to go. I pictured my pup (Quesnelia arvensis) also, it was five bucks. The Tillandsia was two dollars.

As with all bromeliads, once the initial plant has bloomed, it may live for quite a while after bloom, but it will not bloom again. The offsets, or pups, once they have achieved a good size will bloom for you.
Martha

I'm in the Disney area and have bromeliads as ground cover - outside year round. They're not fancy varieties, but look nice and are easy (no) care except for thinning every few years. I've pulled a batch of fairly common varieties and have plenty to share if anyone wants to come get them.

The Seminole Bromeliad and Tropical Plant Society just had its semi annual sale at the Sanford Garden Club in Sanford. They had hundreds of bromeliad plants for sale of all bromeliad varieties. They also had a large selection of other tropical plants. They hold this sale twice a year and it's worth it to pay them a visit. Prices are excellent and there are many interesting varieties.
Martha

Gee sorry I missed that. We should have a place to post up coming local events like this. Hope you found some goodies there.