THE BROMELIAD BLADE August 2016

Newsletter of the The San Diego Bromeliad Society Bromeliad Blade August 2016 s

VOLUME LI NUMBER 8

second thought one does need to be ready to experience at least some Editor’s Thoughts on the weather. A few days before we arrived, there had been about five inches of rain in one day — not for Notes WBC 2016 the entire year like here! The day we by Juliana Raposo by Dan Kinnard arrived, the plane was delayed because of a giant thunderstorm The World Bromeliad Conference for over the area. Then we arrived to This month we will go without the 2016 was held in Houston, Texas. If sunny, clear skies. As the saying goes: President’s Corner. Robert Kopfstein you weren’t able to go, plan to If you don’t like the weather in Texas, is on vacation. attend the next WBC 2018 in San just wait one minute. Diego. Perhaps I can give you a bit of Summer vacation is also the reason the flavor of the conference but I The conference venue was good — for the short and late newsletter – certainly can’t fill in all the details. the rooms were comfortable, there feel free to complain at the annual One must have been there. were good spaces for the show, sale picnic. I happened to take a long Attending is the only way to really and lectures, the catered food and vacation too, in , where I saw a appreciate the conferences and what service was very good, a variety of few interesting bromeliad things I they have offer. Convince some restaurants are within the center, hope to share in a couple articles friends to go also but don’t spend all and, if the heat was too much, ice soon. First, a visit to the bromeliad of your time with them — meet and skating was available in the very collection of one of the top experts mingle with everyone. Once you same center. One could also readily in the field – Elton Leme, who was have experienced a conference or get retail therapy sessions (translate just returning from speaking at the two, you’ll be hooked. shopping). I did mine at the WBC in Houston where he also gave conference auction and sales area — the keynote address. Next, my trip to June may not be the best time to to each their own. Ibitipoca State Park, in Minas Gerais visit Houston since heat and state, notorious for its diverse flora humidity are abundant. The weather A conference is the time I manage to and endemism. was better than the last conference catch up with old friends (both in Houston which was in July when figuratively and literally) and make For this month, I asked our SDBS there was even more humidity and new ones. Since it literally is a world friends who attended the World heat available. That being said, there conference, bromo-holics are Bromeliad Conference to write about wasn’t much need to enjoy much of attending from the four corners of what they saw. I believe the topic the heat and humidity unless you world (it is still flat, isn’t it?). This deserves a little extra coverage, since wanted to go on the interesting tours gives us a chance to meet others I wasn’t the only one who missed the of member’s gardens, participate in interested in our and catch up July meeting. the BBQ, or visit some of the great museums and visitor attractions. On THE BROMELIAD BLADE | August 2016 2

with what friends have been doing in hybrids, Gregory Brown - return! Visiting gardens in other the last two (or perhaps four) years. systematics, and Thomas Givnish areas lets us see what is grown and - 100 million years of bromeliad how. It was amazing to see what lots Of course at the conference there history. Some of the names might be of humidity and heat (either natural are presentations, lots of them on a readily recognized. Even though all of or in the greenhouse) can do. The variety of subjects. Some will interest the topics weren’t my favorites, the show was beautiful, as always, with me more than others. I usually force speakers often made the talk plants that were all-too-perfect. myself to attend at least one that I interesting and I learned new things. Most could have passed for plastic. I don’t think I would be interested in didn’t see the “I’ve had a rough life” just to become familiar with In addition to speakers, other items specimens that we have. additional plants, scientific processes to take advantage of were: the show, and /or habitats. Some of the a banquet, a BBQ at a nursery, some The conference was good. They are speakers and their subjects were: very interesting garden tours, a rare all good, just some better than Elton Leme - the Cryptanthoid auction, a silent auction, a others from my point of view. Others Complex, José Manzanares - the luncheon, a reception, and plant think the same but better is applied genus Mezobromelia, Eric Gouda sales. The plant auctions and sales to different conferences. Be sure to - collecting bromeliads in the Andes, can be dangerous — I had to control plan on attending WBC 2018 in San Bruce Holst - exploring bromeliads of myself to prevent having to build Diego and get into the conference Belize, Pam Koide Hyatt - bromeliad another shadehouse upon my habit.

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July Meeting Show and Tell

T. straminea, T. fasciculata var. Program hondurensis - Pam Peters We had SDBS member Andrew Wilson reporting about the WBC in Pitcairnia undulata hybrid, Pitcairnia Houston. Following Andrew’s chiapensis hybrid - Bob Wright presentation, SDBS member Scott

Sandel talked about his recent Orthophytum ophiuroides - David bromeliad explorations in Colombia. Kennedy

July’s Opportunity Table T. tenuifolia - Lucia Velazquez This month’s opportunity plants Neoregelia 'Hypnotic', Neoregelia came from our VP David Kennedy. 'Heat Rash' (both Neos are 2016 WBC Auction items were Tillandsia releases by Chester Skotak), concolor, Vriecantarea ‘Pink Giant’ Nidularium leprosum, Tillandsia and a neo hybrid by Chester Skotak. hybrid (Arden - probably concolor x

flabellata) - Scott Sandel

T. chiapensis x concolor, T. fasciculata var. fasciculata - Morlane O'Donnell

T. fasciculata hybrid – unattributed

THE BROMELIAD BLADE | August 2016 3

Upcoming Events Bromeliad Highlighted Meetings Annual SDBS Seeds August 13, at 11 AM Picnic SSBS Annual Picnic I collected a few seeds during my Hosted by Robert Walters No meeting in Balboa Park this visit to Brazil. Some came from Elton www.bsi.org/webpages/san_diego.html month. It’s time for our yearly Leme’s collection and some came September 10, 2016 at 10 AM summer gathering, the Annual from Ibitipoca. San Diego Bromeliad Society SDBS Picnic. Contact me at Balboa Park, Casa Del Prado, Room 104 www.bsi.org/webpages/san_diego.html [email protected] if you are August 13, Saturday, 11 AM interested.

The residence of Bob Walters

Monthly Meetings 4238 Pepper Drive Couldn’t Show

1st Tuesday, 6:30 PM San Diego 92105 and Tell San Diego Orchid Society 619-282-2246 by Juliana Raposo Balboa Park, Casa Del Prado, Room 101 [email protected] Coming back home after a month’s www.sdorchids.com long vacation can be scary for a Please RSVP to Bob as soon as gardener. Fortunately, this was a 2nd Saturday, 10 AM you can, if you haven’t already. great surprise! Bromeliads and San Diego Bromeliad Society Bring a side dish or dessert. And a orchids blooming at the same time Balboa Park, Casa Del Prado, Room chair if you prefer to sit. feel like hitting the jackpot. 104 www.bsi.org/webpages/san_diego.html Free raffle of excellent plants, one petropolitana flowering with (at least) per member. oncidium flexuosum. 2nd Saturday, 1 PM San Diego Cactus and Succulent Society Balboa Park, Casa Del Prado, Room 101 www.sdcss.net

2nd Monday, 5 PM San Diego Horticultural Society Surfside Race Place at the Delmar Fairgrounds www.sandiegohorticulturalsociety.org

THE BROMELIAD BLADE | August 2016 4

About SDBS MEETINGS SDBS 2016 Meetings are held at 10 AM on the second Saturday of each month at

Hechtia Balboa Park, Casa Del Prado, Room 104. Officers by Andy Siekkinen

San Diego Bromeliad Society President Robert Kopfstein I noticed that Mr. Kopfstein Webpage [email protected] mentioned that there were two 760-726-8300 Hechtia marnier-lapostollei plants in www.bsi.org/webpages/san_diego.html the World Bromeliad Conference Vice-President THE BROMELIAD BLADE David Kennedy show. It seems that he doesn't [email protected] realize that there are different clones San Diego Bromeliad Society 858-278-6532 of that in cultivation and Juliana Raposo, Editor Secretary even grown under the same 6979 Sweetwater St Ruth Contino conditions (very dry and abused in Carlsbad, CA 92011 [email protected] my collection) that the plants can 619-303-2144 look quite different in size and 858-349-1405

Treasurer density of trichomes on the Al Evans, Jr. leaves. So here is a picture showing To send material for the newsletter, [email protected] that two different clones of that please contact Juliana at 858-492-9866 species can look quite different. [email protected] Newsletter Editor Make sure to submit your contribution Juliana Raposo before the 20th of the month for [email protected] inclusion in the next newsletter. 858-349-1405

Past President Robert Vitacco 2016 SDBS Membership [email protected] To renew your membership, please contact Al Evans, Treasurer Board Members [email protected] 858-492-9866

Scott Sandel Renewal Fees: 1 year [email protected] 619-325-1990 x 110 Single email $13 Nancy Groves Dual email $17 [email protected] Single USPS $28 858-453-6486 While growing conditions can make a Dual USPS $32 Lucia Velazquez big difference, so can genetics. A [email protected] good reminder for people not to Renewal Fees: 2 years 619-283-0500 jump to conclusions too quickly. Bob Walters [email protected] Single email $22 619-282-2246 Dual email $30 Single USPS $52 Dual USPS $60