Bromeliad Society of Victoria Inc.

VOL 34 NO 3 June – July 2017

The June General Meeting will be held on Wednesday 28th June, in the Multi-purpose Room at Phoenix Park. Details Page 5

CONTENTS 2017 Calendar of Events ...... 2 Editorial ...... 3 BSV President’s Report ...... 4 General Meetings...... 5 Report of the April General Meeting ...... 6 Discussion Group Meetings ...... 7 Nance Esmore ...... 8 Jean Nicol ...... 8 Some Horizontally Banded Neoregelia Varieties ...... 9 July Field Day...... 10 May Field Day...... 11 Learning About the Genera: ...... 12

2017 CALENDAR OF EVENTS 28 June General Meeting 23 July Field Day – to be advised 23 August General Meeting 24 September Field Day 25 October General Meeting 11-12 November Annual Show

13 December Christmas Meeting

COVER, Nidularium ‘Ruby Lee’ Rob Mather

Photo, Jill Abbott

BSV Inc. Contacts MAIL PO Box 101, Darling VIC 3145 FACEBOOK https://www.facebook.com/groups/198663673628029/ WEBSITE http://bromeliad.org.au/ then, CLUB NEWS, Victoria EMAIL [email protected]

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EDITORIAL Melbourne’s weather is still mild, and deciduous trees are dropping their yellow or red leaves. The broms think that it is still mid-autumn and many are still holding their summer colours, and the new pups are getting larger. I have taken the pup off Neo ‘Freddie’ in the hope that it will throw a few more.

Our Annual Show is on November 11 & 12 at a new venue, the N G Wishart Senior Citizens Centre, 964 Nepean Highway, Moorabbin. Now is the time to start looking for broms to prepare for the show.

Please send me your contributions for ‘From a Member’s Garden’, as members love to see and hear how your broms are going, and any other articles, large or small, to share with BSV members. It may be a single brom, a collection, or your latest brom- related construction project.

Happy growing, Jill

MIDHURST BROMELIAD FOREST DRIVE NURSERY NURSERY Specialist Growers of Located at REPTON, South of Seedlings and other Genera Coffs Harbour. AND VARIETIES Hard grown to suit all Australian All quality at reasonable prices Plants for all level of collection. conditions. Beautiful TILLANDSIA, Wholesale and mail order only. VRIESEAS, NEOREGELIAS, AECHMEAS ETC. Write for price lists of Tillandsia Visitors Welcome, but phone first and other genera to: (02) 6655 4130 A.H. P.O. Box 612 Hurstbridge, Vic 3099 For mail order send S A E: PO Box 2 Phone ( 03 ) 9718 2887 Bonville, NSW, 2441 Email : [email protected] Prop. Peter Tristram www.bromeliads.com.au

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BSV PRESIDENT’S REPORT Hi Members, As I write this it is a beautiful day outside and all I want to do is get out there and potter around the garden. These are autumn days that I treasure because I can work all day in the garden and not get too hot or tired. Well maybe tired but I push myself through the tiredness because there is always something else I want to get done before I go inside to recuperate.

Many of my Aechmeas have come into flower this autumn which adds spikes of colour to the garden but what I’m most excited about is the flowering of my Vriesea intermedia (photo). I bought this from a nursery in Western Sydney more than 10 years ago and although it has produced many pups, this is the first time that I’ve had one send up a spike. I’m not expecting the spike to be particularly spectacular but I feel a sense of achievement that it has reached its full potential. Never give up on your bromeliads.

The May Field Day was held at the Melbourne University System Garden. We were very fortunate to have Tim Uebergang, the Horticultural Curator to provide us with a guided tour of the garden. There was a distinct lack of bromeliads but there were plenty of other amazing plants to keep us entertained. I’d like to thank Tim for giving up his Sunday afternoon to provide us with a wonderful tour.

At our April BSV meeting Chris Larson provided part two of his series of short talks on name changes to our bromeliads. We then had a presentation by Jane Baker and Len Murray on ‘Sunnybroms’, the 2017 Bromeliad Conference on the Sunshine Coast. Since that meeting I’ve read articles on both the renaming process and Sunnybroms so they are clearly hot topics of conversation. Thanks Chris, Jane and Len for entertaining and enlightening us at the meeting.

The next meeting is on Wednesday, 28th June and I encourage everyone to bring in some plants for sale and show. Neoregelias may be losing their colour with the shorter daylight hours but I’m sure there will still be plenty of flowering , Aechmeas and other genera for the display tables. Also don’t forget to bring something to share for supper as the colder nights will stimulate our need for sustenance.

We currently have no Field Day for July. If you would like to offer your place for the afternoon of 23 July or know of a suitable venue that we could visit, then please contact someone from the BSV Committee and we’ll organise it.

Bruce Lee (BSV President) 4

GENERAL MEETINGS These are held at Phoenix Park Community Centre, Rob Roy Rd, Malvern East. Melway Ref. Map 69, D2. Meetings commence at 7:45 pm sharp.

AVAILABLE AT EACH MEETING

At each meeting you may take advantage of the following: 1. Raffle. 2. A Bromeliad Book Library. 3. Members plant sales table. 4. Plant display and competition. 5. A section for your problem plants. Ask the experts what they think. 6. Books for sale. 7. Accessories for sale. 8. Lots of other interested growers to meet and chat with.

OFFICE BEARERS 2017-2018

Position Name Email Phone

President Bruce Lee [email protected] 9726 6126

Vice President Chris Larson [email protected] 9568 8856

Secretary Kerry Lusk [email protected] 0438 798 568

Treasurer Chris Baker [email protected] 9596 1992

General committee Jill Abbott [email protected] 0400 921 374

Robert Mather [email protected] 0431 968 358

Len Murray [email protected] 0413 809 744

Mike Raymond [email protected] 0411 283 369

Non-committee Positions Membership Jane Baker 9596 1992 Secretary: [email protected] 90A Martin Street, Brighton VIC 3186 Librarian: Gayle Kerr Plant Vote: Bev Leishman Plant Sales: Bryan Paten Supper Coordinator Rochelle Gaugg Patron: Maurice Kellett Life Members: Nance Esmore, Chris Larson, Jean Nicol, Len Summers, Garry Thompson Editor: Jill Abbott [email protected] Production: Brian Abbott Deadline for all editorial and advertising is the first Tuesday of publication month.

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REPORT OF THE APRIL GENERAL MEETING held at the Phoenix Park Community Centre on Wednesday 26th April 2017

There were 32 members attending on this coolish evening and a flourishing, colourful show bench gave us plenty of choice. Chris Larson entertained us again with some more information on hybrids before Len Murray and Jane Baker together presented an illustrated talk on their recent adventure to the Queensland Sunny Broms Convention. Thanks to all of you for a lovely evening.

RESULTS OF THE POPULAR VOTE TILLANDSIAS: Tillandsia kalmbacheri a 40cm wide by 70cm tall lime green plant with a heavy pinkish, lime-tipped bract with eight branches of lime petalled flowers won for Geoff Beech from strong competition. Certainly an eye catching plant, Geoff! (right)

INDOOR/GLASSHOUSE GROWN: With 2 plants of Vriesea dubia this pot of bright green foliage with two red bracts tipped with yellow flowers about 45 cm tall, narrowly won the day for Geoff Beech from eight other plants that won votes… and… (left)

OUTDOOR/SHADEHOUSE GROWN: It was Geoff Beech’s night for he again took the honours here, this time with Aechmea apocalyptica in a variegated form. This hanger of 3 mature and three stolonised pups of green with cream edges on the foliage held two vermillion bracts of rich purple flowers. Well done Geoff!

(right)

NOVICE: no entries, but we hope for some at the June meeting.

ARRANGEMENT: a cute potted cluster of deep red with pink central stripe of Cryptanthus ‘Ruby’ was contrasted with a lime green feathery fern in this arrangement by Robert Mather. It was set off by a couple of flat grey stones to complete a pleasant presentation. (right)

When preparing your treasures for the winter be sure to watch out for some entries for our June meeting show bench and ensure you bring them along. We love to see them!

Happy Growing, Bev 6

DISCUSSION GROUP MEETINGS The Discussion Group will meet Wednesday 21 June, 2017 at the Kevin Heinze Garden Centre, 39 Wetherby Rd, Doncaster, at 8 pm. The discussion group meets on the third Wednesday most months to talk bromeliads in an informal setting. The meeting is not of a technical nature. However arrangements may change at the last minute, so if you are not on the discussion group mail out, please call Chris (9568 8856) or Len (9569 7936) to check that arrangements are still current if you plan to attend. All members are very welcome - don’t be put off thinking it will be technical.

Tillandsia multicaulis Chris Larson

Tillandsia punctulata Chris Baker

Neoregelia ‘Absolutely Fabulous’ Tillandsia ‘Creation’ Len Summers Geoff Beech

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NANCE ESMORE was very thrilled to win the ‘Plant of the Month for April at the Waverley Garden Club with her Tillandsia stricta. It was much admired by all of the members at the meeting.

JEAN NICOL

Our sympathies to Life Member Jean Nicol on the passing of her husband of 71 years, Bill, in March. Bill was an enthusiastic grower of cacti and succulents. He bought a Cryptanthus ‘Glad’ which lost all its leaves, and the new leaves that grew from the stump produced a sport which he named Cryptanthus ‘Jean Nicol’ (photo of Jean holding her namesake).

Last year, Jean and Bill moved from suburban Melbourne to Portarlington to be near family members, and Jean was delighted to be able to take most of her treasured bromeliads with her.

Congratulations to Jean on celebrating her 90th birthday in May.

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SOME HORIZONTALLY BANDED NEOREGELIA VARIETIES Dudley Reynolds In most established collections of bromeliads one seems to focus on one group of plants and collect that specific group and then maybe move on to the next group. I know that I have done that over the years of my addiction. Firstly I collected as many tillandsia that I could get my hands on. Then it was Aechmea nudicaulis and Aechmea orlandiana. Then the marble throated neoregelia. Then I just had to have all the Neoregelia carcharodon varieties. I am now accumulating a lot of the mini

Neoregelia. A group I want to share with you are neoregelia with horizontal banding on the leaves similar to Neoregelia ‘Hannibal Lector’ which is a cross between N. punctatissima and N. carcharodon ‘Tiger’. It was hybridised and introduced by Chester Skotak from Costa Rica and one of a series he named after the character in a series of suspense novels written by Thomas Harris and of course the character is, Hannibal Lector from ‘Silence of the Lambs’.

Dudley holding Neoregelia Neoregelia ‘Hannibal Lector’ Neoregelia ‘Norman Bates’ Carcharodon ‘Tiger’.

Neoregelia ‘High Voltage’ Neoregelia ‘Freddy Krueger ’ Neoregelia ‘Groves Red Tiger’

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Neoregelia ‘Hannibal Lector’ has since been used in many other crosses. To name a few of the other crosses that were brought to the meeting: • Neoregelia ‘Norman Bates’ (from the movie Psycho), a cross between N. Hannibal Lector and N. carcharodon ‘Tiger’. • N. ‘High Voltage’ a cross between N. ‘Hannibal Lector' and N. 'Foster's Pink Tips'. • N. ‘Freddy Krueger’ (from Nightmare on Elm Street) a cross between (N. ‘Hannibal Lector’ x N. ‘Norman Bates’ ) x (N. ‘Skotaks Tiger’ x N. ‘Hannibal Lector’) • N. ‘Groves Red Tiger’, cross between N. ‘Ornato’ x N. ‘Skotaks Tiger’

I grow these bromeliads in the sunniest spot to retain the wonderful markings and they get watered the same as any other tank type bromeliad. I don't feed them, just rely on nature. They seem quite cold tolerant. I grow them close to my Aechmea orlandiana collection.

(Reprinted with kind permission from East London Bromeliad Society South Africa newsletter May 2017)

JULY FIELD DAY In the last couple of years we have had difficulty in sourcing a venue for the July Field Day and this year is no different. Being the middle of winter with unpredictable weather (let’s face it, it’s Melbourne), shorter daylight hours and bromeliads not at their best, it’s understandable that members are not keen to open up their gardens at this time. Even venturing out to a public venue may not be particularly enticing for members if the weather is predicted to be cold and wet, so organising a venue to host an event on our behalf may only be attended by a few stalwart members.

One option is to make July a non-BSV month which would make sense since we are now hosting events regularly in January, which used to be our event free month. However, if you think that your home could be a suitable venue for a July Field Day or know of a venue that would entice members to attend a mid-winter event, then please let us know and we’ll work with you to make it happen. It would be appreciated by the BSV Committee and the membership.

Thanks Bruce

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MAY FIELD DAY was held on Sunday 28 May at the System Garden, University of Melbourne when a small group of intrepid plant lovers braved Melbourne’s cold and damp weather. The garden was established by Prof. Frederick McCoy in 1856 and features plants grouped in their families and subclasses. While the garden has few bromeliads at present, we plan to donate some in Spring.

Thanks to Curator Tim Uebergang for showing us around and explaining the history, and how the garden is arranged.

PLEASE RETURN OVERDUE LIBRARY BOOKS… We recently received a parcel with an overdue library book and this note.

Please accept this overdue item that was borrowed in I think 1984. I moved to Qld shortly after and found it again in January of this year sitting on a shelf gathering dust though otherwise unharmed. Returned with sincere apologies…

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LEARNING ABOUT THE GENERA: PITCAIRNIA – Article by Graeme Barclay. Photos by Graeme Barclay, Eric Gouda and McGregor

Smith

(Reprinted with kind permission from Bromeliad March 2016 VOL 56 NO 3, Journal of the Bromeliad Society of New Zealand Inc. www.bsnz.org )

Pitcairnia is one of the largest, most widely spread and diverse genera of the bromeliad family. There are currently 405 described species, plus around 30 species varieties, second only behind Tillandsia with 694 species. The was named after English physician and gardener, Dr. William Pitcairn (1711-1791).

Pitcairnias are most abundant in and northwest South American countries. Some are also found in Central America up as far as Mexico, the eastern Caribbean islands and further south in . One peculiar fact is that the only bromeliad found outside the is , which is endemic to Guinea in West Africa and remains somewhat of a mystery exactly how it came to be there.

Pitcairnias are normally always terrestrial and/or saxicolous (grow on rocks), though some are known to be occasionally epiphytic. They mostly enjoy moist, rich soils where their root systems can spread and form dense clumps, hence they are commonly found alongside streams, ponds and rivers where they can access water supplies with ease. This trait is obviously related to the fact that almost all species are ‘non water-holding’ and do not form a large central tank like many other bromeliad genera. Their leaves are often thin and grass-like, so they must be hydrated mainly via their root systems. Some species are even deciduous and die-off their leaves after blooming, only to sprout again in another season, similar to garden bulbs. Many are also spineless and are quite odd, with some having very spiny bases to the leaves but smooth leaf blade margins.

While there over 400 described species, many are not in cultivation and are difficult to grow well – especially in cooler locations such as New Zealand. Many of the species from warmer countries struggle here, as they often need constant warm temperatures year round and high humidity levels to thrive. Leaf-tip browning and lower-leaf die-back is extremely common, as well as short-lived flowering periods, similar to most billbergias. Therefore, their popularity as garden and collector plants here has been somewhat thwarted over the years. However, many species possess stunningly beautiful inflorescences and they are vastly underrated in terms of horticultural value and popularity. In the right environment they can add something unusual and interesting amongst other foliage plants, especially when allowed to clump up in shady areas and bloom en masse within subtropical or water featured gardens.

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The three most common species you may find in New Zealand are:

• flammea – native of Eastern Brazil, has several different varieties. Up to 50cm high fire-engine red flower spikes protruding from arching, lance-shaped dark green leaves. Stunning as a garden clump and one of the species that does best in our climate, especially in moist, shady areas.

• integrifolia – grass-like foliage up to 60cm high, mainly from and Trinidad. Large branched, inflorescence of bright red flowers. Can grow in full sun where the leaves turn reddish.

• xanthocalyx – from Mexico, also has grass-like foliage and can grow large with butter-yellow flowers and large creamy-yellow petals. Another hardier species that clumps well as a landscape plant.

Other less common species that are also in New Zealand, but generally all require warmth, moisture and humidity year round are:

• altensteinii - lanceolate, dark green leaves found mainly in Venezuela with several described varieties in large and small sizes. The flower spike has a short, dense head and can be either red, yellow or cream coloured with large, creamy petalled flowers.

• atrorubens – a large plant to one metre or more diameter from Central America with wide green leaves. The thick stemmed flower head is oval shaped and crimson-red, with small pale yellow flowers.

• bifrons – from the Lesser Antilles islands off Venezuela, has silvery scurfy undersides to the serrated leaves and a tall, showy flower spike with red-orange or yellow flowers.

• capixaba – from Espirito Santo, Brazil, saxicolous on rocks in full sun. The leaves are thin and grass-like, and the flower spike is canary yellow with yellow- cream pedicellate flowers.

• grafii (aff. orchidifolia) – a variable plant from Venezuela with many different forms, scarlet, showy flowers and either yellow or red petals. Pitcairnia grafii and orchidifolia are very similar and difficult to tell apart, hence it is unknown exactly what plant we have here at this stage.

• heterophylla – from Central and Northern South American countries is very unusual in that it produces two types of leaves. Short needle like leaves are held close to the base, with longer grass-like leaves above. It is also a deciduous species, losing leaves in winter and spring leaving the protective spines around the base. The salmon coloured flowers are quite a sight grown in shade or even adapted to full sun and there is also a variety here tagged ‘albiflora’, with a white inflorescence.

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• maidifolia – similar looking to altensteinii with wide, luxurious, dark green leaves and is widespread in northern South American countries. The flower spike can be red to lemon yellow, with large, creamy petalled flowers.

• tabuliformis – once common here but now very rare due to difficulty of culture. Very ornamental from Mexico, with a flat rosette of wide, spatulate, light green leaves and large salmon-pink inflorescence.

Other very rare species that may also be in cultivation here are: andreana, angustifolia, arcuata, aureobrunnea, burle-marxii, carinata, funkiae, hitchcockiana, imbricata, megasepala, moritziana, oliva-estevae, paniculata, rubronigriflora, sceptrigera, smithiorum, spicata, sprucei, trianae var. retusa, undulata, villetaensis.

Pitcairnia flammea Pitcairnia integrifolia Pitcairnia xanthocalyx

Pitcairnia altensteinii Pitcairnia atrorubens Pitcairnia bifrons

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More Pitcairnia photos…

Pitcairnia heterophylla Pitcairnia grafi (aff. Orchidifolia)

Pitcairnia tabuliformis Pitcairnia undulata

Pitcairnia oliva estevae Pitcairnia imbricata 15

MEMBERSHIP SUBSCRIPTIONS

Single: $20 per annum Family: $25 per annum All membership fees are due on 1st January each year. In order to reduce costs and keep the BSV financial we will only send an electronic copy of the newsletter to you where you provide us with an email address. If you also require a hard copy of the newsletter, in addition to an electronic copy, then we are asking that you pay an additional $6 on top of your annual subscription to help cover some of the printing and postage costs. Please refer to the Membership Form for details or contact a BSV committee member if you have any questions.

All subscription correspondence should be sent to: The Membership Secretary, Jane Baker, 90A Martin Street, Brighton VIC 3186 PLEASE NOTE THAT PAYMENT OF MEMBERSHIP SUBSCRIPTION CAN BE MADE BY BANK TRANSFER. THE SOCIETY’S BANK DETAILS ARE: BANK NAB ACCOUNT BROMELIAD SOCIETY OF VICTORIA INC. ACCOUNT NO. 48-585-2809 BSB 083-132

PLEASE ENSURE THAT DEPOSIT/TRANSFER CLEARLY SHOWS THE MEMBER’S NAME.

COLLECTORS CORNER GARDEN WORLD 810 Springvale Road Braeside Vic 3195 Phone (03) 9798 5845 Fax (03) 9706 3339 Email: [email protected] Website: www.collectorscorner.com.au BROMELIADS – comprehensive collection together with a large selection of Imported Tillandsias available. 10% discount on most lines to Society members on presentation of their cards. CACTI – from small varieties to advanced specimens SUCCULENTS – living stones, crassulas, agave, aloe and many more. BONSAI – from starters to specimen plants. CARNIVOROUS PLANTS – from seedlings to advanced plants.

All opinions expressed in the Newsletter are those of the authors, not necessarily those of the BSV. 16