The First Bromeliad Thread

[Neofolis]

I thought it seemed appropriate for the first thread to be a first of another kind, so here is my first Bromeliad.  At last I have one, hopefully the first of many.

Just to add to the fun, I thought I'd let you all have a go at ID'ing it.

[PalmsZA]

Hi Neo

thats a tricky one but I will go with Neo "red devil"

[PalmsZA]

Lets see who can i.d some of these!

[Neofolis]

Very close Dennis, it is one of the many Neoregelia cultivars.

I'm somewhat clueless at this game, but I will guess that the second one is Neoregelia flandria and the last one is Cryptanthus colnagoi.  The one between them has the colouring of Neo "Red Flush" or Neo "Rouge", but has longer leaves.  I'm not at all sure about the first one, but sticking with the Neoregelia cultivars theme, I'll guess at "Slinky Pink".

[Gonzer]

Neo, yours looks like one of the 'Vulcan' hybrids, will look further.

[jenks]

The only one I might be able to ID is PalmsZA's Neo "Perfection, second from the right. I have one Unfortunately, not all the pups end up striped.

Here is one of mine in sitting in this tree behind a M.champaca 'alba'

How about some ID's on some of these

[jenks]

I really want an ID for this one. Picked it up at Plant Depot in San Juan Capistrano  a few months back with no ID.

[PalmsZA]

Hi Guys

My pic : from left to right Neo "medusa" , "orange crush", "perfecta" and "hearts a fire".

Jenks : That one on the left of your second pic is a stunner, maybe a Billbergia? I want one!!!

PS Gonzer : what was that white spotted Billbergia that you posted a pic of on the last board, some sort of Spanish name I think.

Scott : if you have registered on this board, I have some Aechmea bractiata ( cant remember the spelling ) seed.

Neo : The brom bug bites very quickly and if possible worse than the palm bug!

[Neofolis]

Mine was Neo "Fancy Free" by the way.

Yes, Dennis there are a few more that I plan to add to my collection some time soon, the main problem in the UK is availailbity, although I guess some may consider our climate/brom lack of cold hardiness to be more of an issue.  The choice of outdoor broms in the UK is rather limited and somewhat oddly, the few species that are usually available are not the hardy varieties.

I don't if anyone can help.  I saw a picture a while ago, not on the forum, of a Brom that had leaves which were striped maroon and grey on both sides.  I just wondered if anyone had any ideas of it's identity.  I've been tralling through the FCBS photo gallery, but there are so many cultivars that it's a rather lengthy process.

[bgl]

I have a hard time ID'ing my own, so I'm going to refrain from attempting any of the above!! There are a couple of great nurseries here in the Hilo area that specialize in Bromeliads, and I've gotten quite a few over the years. Used a fallen Ohi'a tree to plant some Bromeliads on. Here are two photos:

[bgl]

And one more, a Vriesea hieroglyphica I believe.

[Gonzer]

PalmZA, is this the one?  Billbergia Domingos Marten

Jenks, the one on top is one of the B.amoena hybrids, more'n likely one of Don Beadle's creations. Pictured is one simply called Beadle #013. Your patterned Vriesea is one of the fenestralis forms like 'Red Chestnut'.

[SubTropicRay]

Nice color!

[Guest]

Unbelievable photos you guys have posted! Bo, that Vriesea hieroglyphica is gorgeous! Never seen one like that before.

[bgl]

Jam99,

Yes, the Vriesea hieroglyphica is one of my favorites (which is probably why I remember the name). Here's a few more

[Guest]

Wow, what a Bromeliad carpet. They go so well with palms! What a shame they die after flowering.

BTW, I've read this species grows as an epiphyte in its natural habitat (South Brazil), but is rarely grown this way in cultivation because of its large size.

Cheers, Jan

[Neofolis]

I intend to add a few Vrieseas to my collection at some point, hieroglyphica, gigantea, forsteriana and splendens seem to be among the more attractive, but there is certainly plenty of choice.

Although they die after flowering, the majority of them have numerous pups, which lessens the blow.

Many of the Broms are epiphets and people often just pin them to a piece of coco or cork bark panels on a branch or log.  Obviously the larger species require quite a large tree and can be grown in a hollowed out branch, but do equally well when grown terrestially.

[Mike in Houston]

Bromeliad flowers can be quite colorful and exotic. This lovely blue, pink, and silver flower is on a Billbergia in my Houston garden. Billbergia bromeliads are usually hardy here along the Gulf Coast (mid-twenties) and can be planted as 'terrestrial's in loose well drained organic soil.

[Mike in Houston]

And here, another colorful bromeliad blooming in my garden, a Tillandsia stricta.

Although this Tillandsia is from South America, Florida has several interesting and beautiful native species.

[Mike in Houston]

This is Bromelia balansae, a large hardy terrestrial bromeliad sometimes used as a living fence in tropical countries. It has vicious thorns on the leaf edges pointed in both directions. Although beautiful, this is not a bromeliad to have near high traffic areas! This photo is from my garden couple summers back.

[richtrav]

Is that Mike Burnett in Houston? How've you been? I'm curious as to which bromeliads you're growing up there in Houston. Down in B'ville, the main problem with the tank types is the salinity in the irrigation water, most of them don't like it. Aechmea distichantha and its hybrids tend to be the easiest for me, especially xQuesmea. Hope all's well

Richard

[Mike in Houston]

Hi Rich,

Yep, it's the Mike in Houston, doing fine thanks.

The species broms hold the most interest for me as their color, shape, form, and habits are real life adaptations to the natural environment and tell an interesting story about that relationship.

There are literally thousands of hybrid bromeliad crosses resulting in every imaginable color, shape and size. This diversity overwhelms me and since it's mostly the whim of the grower that shapes these hybrids, the  lessons from the wild seem mostly lost to me.

Palm cultivation is different. The ratio of hybrids and freaks in cultivation for palms seems much smaller than for most other groups of cultivated plants. Maybe because it takes so long to grow a seedling to a mature fruiting plant.

So I have a number species of bromeliads in cultivation and a few hybrids. For water I use my city tap water as it is not particularly salty here in Houston. In the wild bromeliads usually get their water from rain or fog so I can see where too much calcium or salts could be something they are not prepared to handle.

Did you know John Anderson in Corpus Christi? He was an engineer turned bromeliad enthusiast and if I remember correctly from a visit to his greenhouses once with PSST, he collected runoff rainwater from the roofs of his greenhouses and stored it for use in watering his vast collection.

Here is a photo I took of John Anderson and his bromeliads in 2000 at the Palm Society of South Texas meeting at his home in Corpus Christi, Texas.

[Al in Kona]

This is one of my favorite large size broms that grows easily as long as it can anchor itself onto something (rough volcanic rocks work well for me).  It colors up the best in a full sun location and grows to 1m (40") or more tall (the flowers even taller).  I believe it to be

Aechmea blanchetiana ORANGEADE.

[richtrav]

Mike

Good to hear you're alright. I did meet John Anderson at the bromeliad convention in 2000, he was good friends with RL.

Yes a lot of them are touchy about the water, you can't just go dousing them with water straight out of the Rio Grande, most of them will either burn right away or hold up for a few years and then just fade away (more typical). The exceptions are the ones that grow close to the ocean or where it can get very dry for part of the year. I've had the tank ones come and go in the yard for years now and xQuesmea lymanii is the easiest and most vigorous, followed by true Aechmea distichantha. I can get away with nicer ones like Aechmea Burgundy; I've seen them look better, but still they survive. Aechmea recurvata has not worked, not in the trees nor the ground (have pretty much given up on the tank types in the trees). Neither have any neos, though I may try some more. I'm giving Aechmea bromelifolia a try this year, it's a looker so we'll see. In yards around the Valley you'll occasionally see Billbergia pyramidalis, which usually looks a little tired but OK, and of course regular trash nutans. Neither are as dramatic as the Quesmea though.

What I really would like to try are some more terrestrials: some of the dwarf Bromelia like humilis or flemengii have me interested (know where I can get any?), I don't really care to deal with the big nasty ones. I'm also now trying some Dyckia and Hechtia in wall planters against a cinder block wall to see how they will do. I anticipate the terrestrials will generally do better here. Out of the tillandsias the easiest has been utriculata (aside from the native baileyi), the others have been less vigorous. Know any good tough Pitcairnia I should try?

By the way how is Caldwell Nursery in Rosenberg? I've been wanting to go by there for some time

[Zac in NC]

Gosh Bo- is there nothing you can't grow well there? That heiroglyphica is stunning.

Zac

[Mike in Houston]

And that Aechmea blanchetiana is pretty impressive too Al !  I have a couple of small ones and seeing how great yours looks makes me want to just put mine out in the garden in the ground and if need be build a tent over them for the winter. Aechmea is a fairly hardy genus and some of the larger ones can grow outside under large oaks here in coastal Texas.

Anyone interested in Bromeliads in Hawaii should contact David Shiigi who is who lives in Hilo, Hawaii. David is a world class hybridizer and one of the best sources for bromeliads in the islands.

Rich, I find the Hechtias and Dyckias are hardy and easy to grow in the ground. They do like a lot of watering but can take the heat and periodic dry spells just fine. There is an amazing range of shapes sizes and colors to choose from, some even without any spines.

Next time you are in Houston, get in touch with me and I'll share some starts with you. Yucca-Do and Caldwell's Nursery are also good sources in this area.

Caldwell Nursery in Rosenberg, Texas

Here is one of my favorite Dyckias, 'Yellow Glow'

I find it likes full sun and lots of heat for best color.

[bgl]

Zac,

Yep. This is the place to be if you want to grow stuff!!

And Mike,

Yes, I know of David Shiigi. I've visited his nursery and bought a bunch of bromeliads from him.

Bo

[deezpalms]

Anyone else got a Vriesea imperialis??

[Gonzer]

Bloomed in Oceanside 2 years ago. (No longer Vriesea, now Alcanteria)

[Johnny]

Wow!!! I have been collecting bromeliads for a few years and have many of the pictured bromeliads (V. hieriglifica, Alcanteria imperialis, Aechmea blantechiana orange and lime, etc.). All the ones I just listed haven't flowered for me yet but based on there size they should be ready to burst soon. Thanks for posting all the great pics. I think I need more bromeliads in my garden! Many of my other Vriesias have flowered and they are stunning. I really like the bilbergia family but have had difficulties growing the guzamanias outdoors. I have a bromeliad with a truly magificent flower - looks like the Olympic torch. Wish I knew what it was. Will snapa pick in the mornign and posti it tomorrow.

To this point I haven't been able to post successfully. Any tips on where to get instructions?

[Johnny]

Not sure what this one is but if any one here has an idea, please let me know. Thanks...

http://www.tropicalvibe.com/gallery....Id=1560

[Johnny]

Any ideas on what this one would be?

http://www.tropicalvibe.com/gallery....Id=1554

[Johnny]

Picture of my V. hieroglyphica against the north facing wall of my house. It stays under the eave of my roof and doesn't receive direct sunlight but it is quite bright. I am going to move this one around to see if more of the yellow coloration will come out....

http://www.tropicalvibe.com/gallery....Id=1563

[Daryl]

Here's one of mine that is colouring well at the moment..Neoregelia compacta I think. Just getting ready to climb up my Red Triangle.

Daryl.

[Gonzer]

Nice looking clump Daryl. Sometimes the combination of just two colors makes for a great eye appeal.

[Dave-Vero]

bgl's Vriesea hieroglyphica is astonishing.  They seem to be too cold-sensitive for outdoor use in Florida.  I've got several of these big guys (an Aechmea, I think)