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Bromeliaceae

VOLUME XLVII Third Quarter 2013 The Bromeliad Society of Queensland Inc. P.O. Box 565, Fortitude Valley Queensland, Australia 4006 Home Page www.bromsqueensland.com.au

OFFICERS PRESIDENT John Olsen VICE PRESIDENT Barry Kable TREASURER Pam Butler SECRETARY Glenn Bernoth (07) 4661 36 34 COMMITTEE Peter Ball, Mal Cameron, Michelle Cameron, Chris Coulthard, Jennifer Coulthard, Barbara Murray, Rob Murray, Fred Thomson, Olive Trevor, David Vine MEMBERSHIP SECRETARY Roy Pugh (07) 3263 5057 LIBRARIAN Evelyn Rees SHOW CONVENOR Pam Butler EDITORS John Olsen, Chris Coulthard & Jennifer Coulthard BSQ WEBMASTER Rob Murray ASSISTANT WEBMASTER Peter Ball FIELD DAY COORDINATORS Ruth Kimber & Bev Mulcahy SEED BANK COORDINATOR Peter Ball SUPPER STEWARDS Selga Boothby & Sharon Born SALES Margaret Kraa & Lee Thornycroft ASSISTANT SALES Michelle Cameron COMPETITION STEWARDS Pat Barlow & Fred Thomson NEWSLETTER COORDINATOR Rob Murray ASSISTANT SHOW CONVENER Peter Ball HALL COORDINATOR David Rees RAFFLE COORDINATOR Lesley Gibbs EXHIBITION COORDINATOR Glenn Bernoth

Editors Email Addresses: [email protected] :[email protected] :[email protected]

GENERAL MEETINGS OF THE Society are held on the 3rd Thursday of each month except for December, at the Uniting Hall, 52 Merthyr Road, New Farm, Brisbane, commencing 7:30 pm.

ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING is held immediately before the February General Meeting

Front Cover: Alcantarea Flower By: John Byth Rear Cover: Vriesaa Hybrid By: Pam Butler

The Bromeliad Society of Queensland Inc., gives permission to all Bromeliad Societies to reprint articles in their journals provided proper acknowledgement is given to the original author and Bromeliaceae. This permission does not apply to any other person or organisation without the prior permission of the author. Opinions expressed in this publication are those of the individual contributor and may not necessarily reflect the opinions of the Bromeliad Society of Queensland or of the Editor. Authors are responsible for the accuracy of the information in their articles. 2

Contents

Committee Details 2 Inermis – Derek Butcher 4 Workshop – Barbara Murray 7 Bromelaids for all Ages – 10 Chris & Jennifer Coulthard Ten Top Tillandsia – John Olsen 12 Living with Large Black Ants in Bromeliads 18 Sharon Born Fertilizer Confusion – Les Higgins 19 – Peter Paroz 21 Aechmea Recuravata – John Catlan 23 Plant of the Month 27 Competition Schedule 2014 27

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

27th October 20013 – Billbergia Day 5th December 2013 – Christmas Party 16th January 2014 Meeting – Steve Flood 20th February – Annual General Meeting, Dennis Hundschidt

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vargasiana, but because I spoke to PITCAIRNIA INERMIS him at the Conference and not when he was home at Selby Gardens he By Derek Butcher July 2012 was unable to advise further.

In June 1999 I again saw this plant in To those of you who query what is flower and was allowed to take it on the label and look into anomalies home for “homework”. Using the you often get that warm fuzzy key in Smith and Downs I kept feeling when you find a true stumbling across Pitcairnia inermis, anomaly. One such person is Ross but the were pointed to my Little who flowered a plant from mind, but the description said Peter Tristram called Pitcairnia obtuse! That was until I saw the line inermis var flava but the problem drawing of the and it was the was that it had green petals and the same shape as mine! Secondly, I petals had appendages. So he was worried about the petals which contacted me. In South Australia, were yellow not red and there was no Keith Bradtberg had already appendage at the base. What was a flowered a similar plant from Peter in surprise was the fact that these two the 1990’s only at that time we had criteria were how Lyman Smith different worries as the following differentiated between the type article written by me in 2004 shows; species and the variety flava. It was Pitcairnia inermis var. flava by a surprise because on the one hand Butcher 2004. we had Lyman Smith splitting two genera, namely Tillandsia and This plant was imported from the Vriesea on petal appendages and USA as Pitcairnia vargasiana by here he was not splitting at species Peter Tristram in the 1980’s and an level! You are never too old to offset found its way to South learn. Everything clicked from then Australia in 1989. I came into the on so I’m quite sure that the plant picture in the mid 1990’s and should have been identified as P. suggested the plant was wrongly inermis var. flava. It comes from named. I even took it to pieces in my 2000m altitude in Central and search! In 1996 I took a photograph shares a similar habitat to the less- with me to the Orlando Conference well documented P. vargasiana. and spoke to Harry Luther about my problem. Harry agreed it was not P.

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In June 2013 we again contacted can only assume that Smith got this Peter Tristram and got more information from Macbride 4077, information. The plant originally 1946. But ligulate! As for leaves, came from Rob Phillips, collected in Meyer, originally was of the opinion Peru about 1985 and flowered in they were spineless hence the name, quarantine (Peter at that time had his but from Mez 1935 onwards we own Quarantine house). Most of the seem to have sheaths that are spiny fantastic stuff he collected took and as the leaves age, the blade is exception to the Methyl Bromide deciduous at this join. treatment and abruptly died. He grew on some seed. Harry named it In 1954 Smith created the variety P. vargasiana. Peter is still doubtful flava and the protologue is a follows; as to what it really is, and it may be Pitcairnia inermis var flava var an undescribed species. He assumed nova L. B. Smith, Phytologia 5: 46. at the time that Rob had collected it 1954. near Tarapoto or Moyabamba, but he A var. inermis petalis flavis differt. also went to Tingo Maria and the 8dm high; leaves Machu Picchu area, with Lee Moore, serrulate below the abscission line; the Adventurer. petals yellow, naked. Type in the Museo de Historia Back to the books because these days Natural “Javier Prado” Lima. Peru, there is a wealth of information collected in tropical forest, at available to use, courtesy of the Cayumba, near Las Palmas, between internet. Big problems! We have Huanuco and Tingo Maria, Province conflicting information. In the of Huanuco, Department of original description of P. inermis, Huanuco, Peru, altitude 800-900 Meyer says “Petala angustissima meters, July 15, 1948, by R. Ferreyra calyce plus duplo longiora, basi (No. 4228). squamis differte,” but does not refer to colour. Baker in 1889 in It would seem that this species can Handbook of Bromeliaceae says have different coloured petals, with petals are white but does not mention or without appendages so this should petal appendages. Mez in 1935 in not deter us from linking these Das Pflanzenreich does not mention seedlings of Peter’s to P. inermis as colour but does mention petals are well as being consistent in our ligulate. Smith in 1974 Flora approach. The chance of cross Neotropica we read “Petals scarlet, pollination in Peter’s quarantine rapidly fading to white.” And we house seems remote. Therefore, I 5

suggest that this new find be called On a more positive note, we do know P. inermis ‘Green petalled’ without it that Eric Gouda at the Utrecht being registered, because we do not University does have some of Peter’s know if it is a sole survivor. When seedlings and is now eagerly more of this clone are available it awaiting their flowering. We may may be opportune to register it as P. even see a different approach to ‘Inermis Green’. identity!

Picture above: Pit inermis Green Little.

Picture left: Pit inermis flava DBI

THE BSQ LIBRARY Your attention is drawn to the Society’s library. It is a service to its members. Members are able to borrow books & magazines from the library at any of our monthly meetings. ‘ Tillandsia’ The World’s most Unusual Air , by Paul T. Isley III. This delightful little hand book gives a brief introduction into the Characteristics, Blooms, Reproductions, Care & Mounting Procedures Of . The Society also sells specialist books relating to Bromeliads – see the website for details.

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tables showing the breakdown of TILLANDSIA WORKSHOP nutrients given to his plants in controlled situations and the results. By Barbara Murray He compared the NPK with plants in the wild and with his plants.

Andrew then went further to discuss A long and educational day was the relationship of trace elements to experienced by a large number of the growing of bromeliads. The attendees. Bromeliad enthusiasts presentation was filmed in its travelled from far and wide. There entirety and is available to members. were even 3 from Singapore, here for the weekend. The program was Plants produce food and animals varied ranging from scientific to consume food. Plants need nutrients practical. Here is a collection of my to produce food. Seeds, given poor gleanings from some of the nutrition, will remain small plants, presentations. Other presentations and will not respond to nutrients were given on the day so this is just a when given as older plants. Seeds selection. when given lots of nutrients will grow twice as fast. Plants that are The first speaker was Andrew given adequate nutrition to maintain Flower from New Zealand. His topic optimal growth will react over a was on nutrients but he began his period of time and find the nutrient talk with a synopsis on the delivery toxic. The importance of development of seed raising as a calcium, magnesium and sulphur was process to obtain Tillandsias. Dr outlined. Richard Oeser was the first to grow Tillandsias from seed. He developed Of interest was his discussion of the a method using Cyprus sticks and relationship of boron, copper, iron, pine needles which became known manganese and zinc in water. as the Oeser method. Andrew began Ammonium nitrate in water is seed growing in 1964. important in small doses. In a high concentration ammonium nitrate is Andrew gave a very scientific toxic to Tillandsias, diminishing the presentation with many photos uptake of Calcium and Boron. provided to demonstrate his Ascophyllum nodosum (Seaweed) experiment conditions, his improves growth when 25ml per litre experiments and the information is delivered fortnightly. gathered. Andrew produced many 7

A second talk given by Andrew was 50 Shades of Gray in Tillandsias in on Pollinating Tillandsia. the Shade House. This talk was Pollen needs to be kept dry and cool. given by John Olsen. Place silica gel in a small jar with the John commented that tillandsia shade seeds. Then place the smaller jar in a houses are usually dominated by larger jar that also contains silica gel. plants with leaves of various shades Pollen can be kept in the fridge at of gray, but that can be rectified by 3°C for six months. scattering tillandsias that have leaves with various shades of red through The flower of the billbergia was used the collection. to show the long pistil (female) with Ephemeral Reds the stigma at the end and the short – lots of stamens (male) that have the pollen. different clones The pollen is brushed over the (sometimes sticky) stigma for Tillandsia brachycaulos abdita (now fertilisation to occur. A pistil will Tillandsia bradeana) normally not accept the pollen from (late summer) its own stamens (probably to assist Tillandsia ‘Capetown’ (capitata with strengthening the DNA) but hybrid) will accept pollen from another Tillandsia ‘Eric Knobloch’ plant. But once that happens the Tillandsia ‘Rio Hondo’ pistil will then accept its own pollen. Constantly Red This is a problem for hybridising. Red (Peter Tristram’s Tillandsia ‘Select Red’) Bob Hudson from Cairns informed Tillandsia esseriana (red form) the group that light flowering (red form) tillandsias pollinate at 5am in Cairns. Tillandsia neglecta (red form) They are pollinated. Tillandsia richii

Root Systems in Tillandsias Laurie Dorfer gave this fascinating talk, supporting it with many diagrams and photos. Tillandsia are used for gaining and maintaining attachment and are imperative to survival in the wild. The comes from the top point of

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the growing tip and emerges out of a roots in . Find bottom leaf node. a Styrofoam box with a lid. Place Intercauline roots are the roots inside wet newspaper in the bottom of the the stem and they strengthen the box. Make holes in the lid and place stem. They are very strong roots. the plants in the hole. This suspends In saxicolous and lithophytic plants the tillandsia above the moisture and all walls are thicker for strength. encourages the roots to grow towards Humidity increases cell thickness. the moisture. In Tillandsias the roots have a number of properties which enable root systems to support the plants: BROMAGIC  Gravitropism allows the plant BROMELIAD NURSERY

to respond to gravity and inhibits cell elongation. 421 Hunchy Rd,  Thigmotropism enables the Palmwoods 4555 plant to respond to touch which OPEN TO THE PUBLIC results in faster growth of cells WED – FRIDAY 9:30 – 2:30 on the outside – away from the SATURDAY 9:00 – 4:00

support. An extensive range of Bromeliads including many first release  Hydrotropism enables the root Neoregelia hybrids to search for water. www.bromeliads-of-australia.com.au

 Plagiotropism allows the plant For enquiries phone Sue on to grow at oblique angles. 07 5445 0441 Once the root has found a place to attach, the root produces a gum like substance that will only appear on SEEDBANK touch. The root will absorb moisture as it needs alternate wetting and Peter Ball is our Seedbank drying to improve adhesion. The Coordinator. root will penetrate crevices. Roots Look him up at the next meeting, he on contact will stop elongating and is always up for a chat. begin broadening.

[email protected] Peter Paroz then spoke on and demonstrated developing feeder

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as his Nan arrived at the show he BROMELIADS FOR ALL AGES weaved his charm on her and she of A thought from Co-Editors course bought him a few plants.

Chris and Jennifer Coulthard From that day we created a monster. Dylan has devoured most of our literature and what he borrowed from Growing bromeliads, and in fact any his local library. He has established type of gardening is not usually seen his own collection, albeit small, but as interesting by today’s youth. after each visit to our home it grows. However, there are exceptions and we would like to share our A subsequent visit to The Olive experience with our grandson Dylan. Branch Nursery and a visit with Len Trevor, who arose from his sick bed Dylan is a typical 11 year old. He to speak with Dylan regarding loves his sport (league, tennis, and propagation, fired his swimming) spends controlled hours interest further. on his computer, and enjoys playing with his mates. In telling this story, we believe there are two lessons learned from our Dylan lives with his parents on the experience. Firstly, Dylan enjoyed Sunshine Coast, and most school the friendship and generosity of club holidays comes to stay for a couple members who graciously shared their of days with his Nan and Grumps love and knowledge of bromeliad (aka Jennifer and myself). growing. Secondly, it is sometimes easy to forget that we pass to our, On a visit that coincided with the children, grandchildren and even Autumn Show he accompanied me great grandchildren (yes, we have as a helper, and a new world opened one) our love of what we treasure in up to him. He erected tables, under life, like music, arts and yes, for us, the direction of Rob Murray, they include those funny, beautiful, manufactured boxes, and helped out prickly plants called Bromeliads. in the plant minding area. More importantly, he spent a lot of time So we suggest you encourage your with Rebekah Trevor, Fred Thomson family to become involved with you and Peter Ball, who answered a and share your passion. Who knows plethora of questions and that fired there might be another bromeliad his interest in bromeliads. As soon monster lurking in your family too! 10

Dylan in his front garden – he has also started a Grumps and Dylan after the collection of Dyckias and Cryptanhus and was asking first day at the show. us he help him erect a small shadehouse. Len Trevor taking the time to explain how to gather the Dylan brought his seeds seed and how to proprate them. Dylan was so very home and together with impressed, had his notebook and pen and wrote down Grumps, following Len’s what Len told him. I think Len secretly loves teaching instructions, of course, spent the young ones. He not only held Dylan’s attention, he the afternoon planting his answered every question Dylan fired at him. You could seeds and discussing how not wipe the smile from Dylan’s face. long it would take before his first plants would show.

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didn’t want to pay heaps for a tiny grassy plant. TOP TEN TILLANDSIA SPECIES The list of features in the comments By John Olsen included: Interesting shaped plants which

appealed even when not flowering. Twisted shapes of T caput-medusa, T streptophylla and T ehlersiana; Think about what you would choose Reliability of flowering. T stricta, if you were moving and could only ionantha and aeranthos are annual have your ten favourite plants. This bloomers; was the question posed to Tillandsia Flower colours different to the collectors in our email discussion majority of Tillandsias which tend to group. Initially it produced gnashing blue/lilac. Red in T albertiana, of teeth, some wrist slitting and funckiana, andreana, and edithae, general consternation. Members yellow in T crocata, orange in T moaned about just how hard it was to ericii; leave some favourites off a list of The scurfing of T tectorum or sheen only 10. Others have such an affinity on the leaves of T gardneri, the with tillandsias that a list of those velvety leaves of T velutina; they didn’t like would surely be less The way plants flush with colour at than 10 and so a much easier task. flowering – T ionantha, capitata, brachycaulos, bradeana, velutina; How would you choose? Comments Leaf banding of T hildae which is from the members of our group rare in Tillandsias; indicated the values treasured in The likelihood of having at least one particular plants. My own voting was clone flowering at any one time is a conditioned by what I see as reward feature of some species like T for effort, meaning the enjoyment ionantha, T stricta; gained by the appearance of the plant Small is beautiful and the in a non-flowering state, the diaphoranthema group had several colour/beauty of the followers (T virescens, minutiflora, and in some cases the perfume from tricholepis). the flowers. Small plants with flowers which are large compared to For others it was nostalgia or the the plant are great. One philistine memories that a particular plant held. wanted ‘bang for his buck” i.e. he One voter added the plant which first attracted him to collect Tillandsias 12

although he knew it wasn’t fancy and There was a regional pattern in the unlikely to feature in other voter’s voting. Respondents ranged from lists. He was right on that score, but Cairns in the north to southern this all highlights the personal nature coastal NSW, Victoria and SA. of our love of particular plants. Plants which did well in Qld were missing from the southerner’s lists When you get the “Top Twenty Hits and vice versa. T capitata and T of All Time” on the radio, you know funckiana are popular with that in 10 years, the list will be Queenslanders but are very slow different. The Top Ten are familiar growers in the south. One plants and widely grown. There are respondent summed this up with “it rarer plants which are in a few all boils down to what happily grows collections but not widely grown and flowers each year or so in your which will surely come into the list backyard without any major input by in the future. Many of these are yourself, they just like the climate among the plants with one or two and surrounds ". nominations but rarity equals additional cost to purchase and in However as noted above the most most cases reluctance to reproduce popular plants were universally readily which interact with each popular. In the top ten following I other and mean few have come to have added information on plants treasure these plants yet. which form a “complex” in the discussions of the top ten. The voting produced some interesting statistics. There were 24 Table 1 has the results. % respondents. Over 75 species made it of people on to one or more lists. Of these Ranking Species Votes Selecting about half were only on a single top 1 tectorum 17 77% 2 xerographica 16 73% ten list. The top 2 plants were on 3 streptophylla 13 59% 75% of lists so have to be seen as 4 duratii 12 55% universal favourites and the top 5 5 ionantha 12 55% 6 ehlersiana 8 36% were on over 50% of lists. The 7 fasciculata 8 36% gender balance was somewhat 8 edithae 7 32% (highly) skewed to male respondents. 9 gardneri 8 36% The three female respondents both 10 straminea 6 27% had 3 perfumed species in their top 10. No 1 T tectorum forms a complex which has been written up in a 13

Above – varieties of T fasciculate, at the 2012 Tillandsia Workshop.

Left – T ionantha

Above – T edithae - By Peter Tristram

Left – T tectorum

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T xerographica Mex PT T gardneri RF1 infl PT

Duratii var saxitilis T streptophylla XL infl

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booklet produced by the DBG. The extent by providing more or less booklet “The water. This species is a Complex” was written by Leiselotte myrmecophyte i.e the plant has a Hromadnik and translated into symbiotic relationship with ants. English by Derek Butcher. This The bulbous base is often home to complex contains 10 other species ants. This species is also ageotropic but it is T tectorum which has the which means it doesn’t bother to strong appeal. The leaves are long orient itself upright and is happy to and slender and are very heavily grow horizontal or what seems to us scurfed to the point of appearing upside down. furry. The DBG booklet identifies 3 varieties and one named form of T No 4 T duratii is the subject of a tectorum. This is quite a variable separate article in the next issue. species with considerable variation of leaf length, stem length etc and No 5 T ionantha is a small and there are different forms in variable species from Mexico. The collections. plant flushes with colour at flowering and has relatively large No 2 T xerographica is simply a tubular blue petals. Mostly T standout plant. The grey leaves curl ionantha flushes red but there are under the plant, a flush of pink variants which flush white, orange, comes in the leaves in good light and creamy yellow and pink. Some of the inflorescence is large and these have white petals. The plant spectacular. T xerographica is a slow varies in size from 1-2cm height in growing plant and it needs special varieties referred to as Peanuts or care. It comes from a warm dry Haselnuss (in Germany) to over habitat and doesn’t easily tolerate 10cm for large forms. Generally T cold wet conditions. In SEQ it needs ionantha grows in stemless clumps to be protected from winter rains to but there is a caulescent form T do well. ionantha van Hyingii. A banded form has now been separated as a No 3 T streptophylla has an separate cultivar – T Zebrina and a interesting form and attractive pastel variegated form has now been pink inflorescence. The bulbous base cultivated. is surrounded by twisting older leaves. The extent to which the No 6 T ehlersiana is found in some leaves curl can be controlled to some of the same areas a T streptophylla

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and there are natural hybrids forms a cushion or base of older between the two. T ehlersiana is leaves under the plant. The named for the German collectors inflorescence extends from the centre Renate and Klaus Ehlers. This plant of the plant and droops over under its grows in a bulbous form and has a own weight. The head of the more scurfy appearance and inflorescence is globose and scurfed straighter leaves than T which gives a pink appearance streptophylla. contrasting against the rosy red petals of 10-12 flowers in the No 7 T fasciculata comes from inflorescence. There are several Southern USA through Central varieties of T gardneri which have America. Smith and Downs “Flora been discussed in Die Bromelie Neotropica” lists 13 varieties 2012(1). although taxonomists are busy splitting to name new species. It is a No 10 T straminea comes from dry striking medium-large plant with areas of coastal Peru and Ecuador. many tapering leaves in a rosette and The plant has relatively few leaves an impressive tall fasciculate which are long and finely covered inflorescence. vary with tricomes. In common with close from red to green with many shades relatives, T purpurea and T and mixtures between. Some forms cacticola, T straminea produces a have inflated blades and others flat long stemmed inflorescence with blades to the inflorescence. This is lavender bracts. The flowers have an easy plant to grow in SEQ. white petals with a purple edge and are strongly perfumed. No 8 T edithae is found on cliffs and rock faces around 2700m altitude near La Paz, Bolivia. The red flowers are the special feature of this plant with crimson floral bracts and cherry red petals grouped into a flower head. T edithae is a caulescent plant with triangular grey scurfy leaves.

No 9 T gardneri comes from coastal areas in . This plant has silvery grey leaves with a darker edge to the long triangular leaves. The plant Tillandsia ehlersiana - By Andrew Flower

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again. When I was growing it a LIVING WITH LARGE BLACK ANTS couple of years ago in my garden the IN BROMELIADS grasshoppers ate it, and not the bromeliads. By Sharon Born

I have quite a number of bromeliads that have nests of large black ants in their tanks. These ants don’t seem to harm the bromeliads. They still flower and thrive happily together. I have a large number of these ants living in my yard. They love ginger plants too. The ants do clutter the bromeliads they nest in with a lot of dried leaves at times.

They live in most of my bromeliads in the trees and in some hanging pots. Billbergia, aechmea, vriesea, neoregelia bromeliads are the main ones they occupy. One good thing about them is that they scurry around like crazy if disturbed but don’t seem to sting me. Not that I go near them unless I have to.

When I have Puya ferruginea and coeulea flowering, a lot of different smaller ants love the flowers. They don’t seem to harm them. I do have horrible grasshoppers that eat them off though. Gosh! Grasshoppers love some of my bromeliads. I think in spring I will plant Amaranth

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refer to this ratio of N:P2O5:K2O as FERTILIZER CONFUSION NPK. Most of the rest of the world refers to the ratio NPK as NPK. By Les Higgins Confusion increases as P2O5 and K2O are no longer popular ingredients in American fertilizers. American nutrient recommendations Further confusion occurs when often create confusion in Australia. phosphorus pentoxide (P2O5) is Fertilizers with values such as misidentified as phosphate (H2PO4) 10:32:20 are unavailable. The and potassium oxide (K2O) as potash difference in American and (potassium carbonate K2CO3). Australian fertilizer calculation relates to the early manufacturing To convert American P (P2O5) values methods of phosphorus and to Australian P (P as elemental P) potassium. The traditional American multiply P2O5 value by 0.44. fertilizer formula is the “Oxide To convert American K (K2O) values Potential”. This is a cumbersome to Australian K (K as elemental K) system with oxygen “O” included in multiply K2O values by 0.83. the calculation. Increasingly America’s “balanced fertilizer” is a Americans use the simpler nutrient package which presents all Imperial/Australian system and thus three major elements as the same still further add to confusion from numerical value. The very popular America. American “balanced fertilizer” of 20:20:20 is readily available The Australian fertilizer system is throughout that country. 20:20:20 known as the “Elemental Value”. recalculated N:P2O5:K2O to NPK The nutrient analysis is expressed as becomes 20:8.8:16.6. the ratio of three major elements: Nitrogen: Phosphorus: Potassium In Australia there is no fixation on and this is abbreviated to N:P:K. all the numbers being equal and American Oxide Potential is the ratio 20:8.8:16.6 would be a very rare of the available nitrogen, given as N: nutrient specification. The problem available phosphorus, given as a with the “Balanced” fertilizers is that percent P2O5 (phosphorus the amount of phosphorus is much pentoxide): available water soluble higher in relation to the amount of potassium given as a percentage nitrogen and potassium than K2O (potassium oxide). bromeliads need. The numbers are Confusingly the Americans often balanced but the nutrients required 19

by the plants are not. MIDHURST BROMELIAD NURSERY To avoid confusion, before SPECIALIST GROWERS OF TILLANDSIA SEEDLINGS purchasing a fertilizer pack read the Hard grown to suit All Australian information given in the guaranteed conditions minimum analysis. Does it state Wholesale and Mail Order Only N:P2O5:K2O or NPK ? Is the Write for a free price list of Tillandsia presentation three equal value and other genera to: MIDHURST BROMELIAD numbers? For bromeliads, using the NURSERY N.P.K system, K should be the P.O. BOX 612 biggest number with N second and P HURSTBRIDGE, 3099 PHONE (03) 9718 2887 as a small value. FAX (03) 9718 2760 EMAIL : [email protected] Reprinted with permission: Far North Coast Bromeliad Study Group N.S.W. WILDFIRE GARDEN M. J. PATERSON BROMELIAD NURSERY 212 SANDY CREEK ROAD, ALCANTAREA’S FOLIAGE VRIESEA’S GYMPIE, Qld 4570 NEOREGILIA’S & OTHER GENERA A large range of Bromeliads for sale VISITORS WELCOME especially our own hybrid Neoregelias, BY APPOINTMENT Tillandsias, Cryptanthus and Vrieseas. Cheryl Basic Call in if you are up this way, but please phone 1560 Yandina-Coolum Road first. Yandina, 4561 Phone/ fax: 07 5482 3308 Ph: 07 5472 8827 email: [email protected] Mob: 0403 193 069 Also available… Bromeliad Hybrids. [email protected] “For My Own Satisfaction” Book 1: neos. Books available on line at www.bromeliad-hybrids.com FOREST DRIVE NURSERY

Located at REPTON, South of BRISBANE BROMELIAD Coffs Harbour, NSW CENTRE Specialising in species and varieties from 34 HAUTON ROAD, MORAYFIELD 4506 mostly imported stock HUGE SELECTION Tillandsias to Titillate even the most of discerning fanciers Aechmeas, Vrieseas, Guzmainias, Beautiful Vrieseas (including Silver Neoregelias species), Guzmainais, Nidularium & Tillandsias Aechmeas, Neoregelias, etc. together with a variety of rarer species Visitors Welcome, Please Phone First and hybrids (02) 6655 4130 BARBARA and LORRAINE Mail Order List – Send SAE Phone (07) 5433 0303 Peter Tristram, PO Box 2, Bonville, VISITORS by APPOINTMENT NSW, 2450

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Notes: Ex Rauh translated by Derek Butcher TILLANDSIA SECUNDA "Another representative of Ecuadorian Tillandsias with hanging By Peter Paroz flowers that are wide spread in central and south Ecuador, growing abundantly in large stands on rocky stones in dry valleys and in semi Tillandsia secunda: Secund; humid bush land from 2000 to 3400 pertaining to the manner in which m, you find T. secunda, already flowers are directed to one side. described by Humboldt, Bonpland and Knuth 1816 in Nov Spec. et Type description: T. secunda var. Genera (Vol 1, p. 209), under its secunda collection Nr. 3094 from the area Plant flowering only 1.2 m high. around Guayallabamba North of Leaves numerous, long narrowly Quito (Prov. Pichincha). This has triangular, acuminate, to 50 cm long, been found by many collectors at weakly lepidote. Scape erect, violet- different other places since then (A. reddish; Inflorescence large in a J. Gilmartin, 1972, p. 165) and pyramidal shape, bipinnate, with shows, not needing reminders from about twenty, 7-35 cm long, literature, an astonishing diversity stemmed spikes horizontal spreading regarding big, branching and total from the axis. Scape 7-13 cm long, growth form. with bracts. Flowers blue-violet (red-violet) to 4-5 cm long. Petals This difference is, however, quite naked. Stamens included or insignificant. They are more exserted; pistil exserted or included. remarkable after the outstanding There are three recognised varieties listed differences, which justify the of T. secunda: installation of the two new varieties var. secunda, the type form major and vivipara." (size to about 1.5 m), Rauh. "On the way from Cuenca, we var. major plant stemless, collected one plant three times as flowering to 4 m (!) high. large as the type;* tri - to var. vivipara size similar to the quadripinnate inflorescence and to 8 type but with extensive offset cm long flowers. These were not development on the inflorescence. rare giant specimens and will be 21

described as var. major Rauh. development of the pinnate form to In addition, we collected, at the type tertiary or quarternary branching.] locality of Guayallabamba, a variety that will be called vivipara Rauh The plant in the photograph was for nov. var. The size is about the same many years in my collection as an as the type, with a bipinnate orphan; unnamed and grown in a inflorescence, but differs from this staghorn fern in a melaleuca tree. by having an extensive, vegetative When the tree had to be removed, the increase with the help of offsets. plant was removed and potted in These appear on the plant in large diatomite granules in a large numbers, as well as in the axils of the terracotta pot. It was grown in full subfoliate scape bracts, as well as in sun with regular fertilising with a the axils of the sterile bracts of the liquid 14:5:26 mixture with added stem-like section of the spike. calcium and magnesium. When the Rauh also describes a giant form plant flowered in autumn 2011, I was (Rauh Coll. Nr. 35 085), and able to confirm its identity; but not speculates whether it is a stable, sure of the variety. Probably a very normally large form or a polyploid good type form -and good culture- as giant form? indicated by the inflorescence size and absence of tertiaty branching of Gilmartin indicates the variability the spike. alone concerning the position of the flowers: “The degree of disposition The inflorescence was an impressive of flowers is quite variable. In so 1.6 metre tall with 33 primary and many specimens nearly all flowers 130 secondary branches and an are secund, in others very few spikes estimated 1500+ flowers. Apart have secund flowers, some are from the size, the flowering habit secund in bud, others are not. was unusual in that there were only a Specimen AJG 1157 has dimorphic few flowers open each day and the flowers. Some of the flowers have flowering period extended over stamens exserted, while upon the about five months. This clone was seed specimen are flowers with the self fertile and self pollinating with stigma exserted and the stamens some 200+ seed capsules developing included with the corolla. to maturity. As would be expected, [Pinnate: Resembling a feather; these capsules matured over an having parts arranged on each side of extended period. This may be an a common axis, a pinnate branch; * evolutionary development to assist in tri - to quadripinnate, extended the preservation of the species in a 22

harsh environment. At the time of writing the main copy (April 2012), there was no indication AECHMEA RECURVATA of any viviparous offsets and only 'AZTEC GOLD' one small basal offset. Subsequently, Believe It or Not the plant died without producing By John Catlan normal offsets!! A second plant is now in flower (April 2013); the size as per the type description. This time, I will not make the mistake of Reprinted with permission Karen allowing so many seed capsules to Andreas FCBS.org mature. Bromlink, Jul/Aug 1997

'Aztec Gold' is really the story of trying to produce a desirable plant by swinging the odds in the grower's

favour by manipulation of growing conditions.

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One day in 1981, a friend of mine Lesson 1: If a plant falls over and found a plant in a group of my then a pup forms, nine times out of Aechmea recurvata plants with a ten the pup will start on the top side good clear yellow stripe on one of its of the plant. leaves. The variegated leaf appeared on a fully mature plant that had Like most bromeliad growers with failed to flower that year. It was the more plants than room, I would take unanimous lament that plants of pups off and sit them in a pot of very friends as well as our own had open mix to keep them upright until shown partial variegation that had potting up time. If you were too not been passed onto the pups. The long, you would wind up with a solid low averages to almost non-existent ball of roots. This resulted in tearing were definitely against success, but them apart and damaging the roots with this plant we hoped it was when potting. Gradually it dawned possible as the variegated leaf was on me that the root system initiated low down on the butt of the plant from one side of the pup, the where the pups originate. opposite side from the heel piece that was attached to the mother plant. The After researching the material rule became: face the round side to available, looking for a magic wand I the center of the pot. The roots all found that there was none, or more grow to the outside of the pot and are precisely, none that I could find. easier to separate. This explained to Now was the time to put into action me why in a clump of bromeliads the three lessons learnt while observing pups are generally grown on the our plants. mother plant furthest from the grandmother. I reasoned that the One day while sitting on an old roots on that side absorbed the stump, with a shovel in one hand and nourishment and gave slightly more a cup of coffee in the other, trying to food to that side of the plant. I foliar get inspiration to clean up and level fed the plants on one side only and off our rubbish dump, I noted just this resulted in a very high how hardy bromeliads really were. percentage of pups from that side. There were dozens of discarded plants lying on their sides with their Lesson 2: If you liquid feed a plant pups happily sitting up ready to grow by foliar feeding it on one side, you into new clumps. increase your chances of getting a pup from that side.

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I remembered one year, there being variegated leaf and the pup was right not enough bench space for all the under it. So all we could do was plants, that some were placed under a leave it as an interesting experiment. bench. Being winter, the sun was low in the sky and light penetrated very A few months later when the pup well in under the bench as it faced had grown we looked and wondered, north. Spring arrived and busy-busy- for there on the upper side of the busy then well into summer. Lo and leaves was a solid green stripe. A behold! There were the bromeliads phenomenon of this plant is: all pups with all their pups, like soldiers, appear as plain yellow, but as the facing the path. At that time I plant develops the green stripe thought it was rather convenient for improves and it turns into a sturdy, the removal of the pups. Remember vigorous grower for a variegate. light is a source of food for plants and in a clump of bromeliads the To promote the growth of 'Aztec outer-side of a plant should be Gold' we left it attached to its parent. receiving more light than the side This promoted vigorous growth facing the clump. resulting in a mature plant that produced 10 pups over three years. Lesson 3: If the plant is denied light Any pups appearing on the green on one side, it will throw its pups on parent were cut off so that 'Aztec the side facing the light source. Gold' received all the energy.

The time had come to bite the bullet. We were aware that with some We laid the plant at an angle of 45 variegated bromeliads that too much degrees facing away from the sun fertiliser had the ability to cause a with the leaf with the yellow stripe plant to lose its variegation, for just being on top facing the sun. A few prior to 'Aztec Gold' we had over- weeks later at an angle of 90 degrees fertilised some variegated Neoregelia to the yellow stripe appeared a green seedlings and the variegation pup. This pup was removed with a disappeared for ever! So this time we sharpened screwdriver. Our theory took fertilising very cautiously with was that the pup had started its our original plant. Some variegated growth cycle prior to our meddling plants can take fertiliser and some with nature. Be patient and wait. can't and there are variegated plants Success immediately followed by that only seem to flourish when they disaster. The pup was there but it are fertilised well and on a regular was pure yellow. We had only one basis.

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'Aztec Gold' was grown in 170mm and everyone else who was asked. I hanging baskets potted in a very then separated "E2" descendants and open mix and hung 18cm from the put them on the one bench. It was roof. They had plenty of light and immediately obvious the central nine-month Osmocote as fertiliser. green stripe although it was the same They were watered regularly, but width was a slightly deeper green they were very well drained and had and the yellow a touch more golden plenty of air movement. The growers and this made the difference, more who have had trouble growing 'Aztec food faster and more pups. Pure Gold' are probably giving it too white is the only colour in a much water and not enough light and bromeliad leaf that does not air movement to keep up with the manufacture food - from sunlight. watering. Yellow is in fact able to manufacture food as it has chlorophyll in its cells, When the pups were taken off the which to us appears yellow. original 'Aztec Gold' they were given the code A, B, C, D, E, F, etc. When THE OLIVE plant A threw its pups they were BRANCH numbered Al, A2, A3, etc. When plant Al threw its pups they were Len and Olive Trevor numbered AlA, A1B, A1C, etc. 232 Canvey Road, Ferny Grove When plant AlA threw its pups they Old, 4053 were numbered A1Al, A1A2, A1A3, Specialising in hybrid Vrieseas, etc. All this information was written Aechmeas, Variegated up into a book so you had a complete Neoregelias family tree of the descendants of Skotak Hybrids, Aussie Dream and 'Aztec Gold'. By looking up the varieties, and other quality family tree you knew what to code Bromeliads the pup and you entered it into the Phone (07) 3351 1203 family tree. The plants were kept all VISITORS WELCOME BY APPOINTMENT mixed up in one area and all watered Please Phone First and fertilised the same.

'Aztec Gold' E2 bred like a rabbit. Its Got information about forthcoming events Email the Bromeliaceae Editor using the email descendants dominated the whole address below breeding program. For months we [email protected] looked at "E2" and its descendants or write to us at P.0. Box 565, Fortitude Valley but they all looked the same to me Queensland, Australia 4006 26

Plant of the Month Programme 2013

Neoregelia & Nidularium are the main features for November

Competition Schedule for 2014

January - MINI SHOW Class 1 – Aechmea species & hybrids Class 2 – Vriesea species & hybrids Class 3 – any other flowering bromeliad species & hybrids February - POPULAR VOTE – any genus species & hybrids + novelty bromeliad display March - POPULAR VOTE April - MINI SHOW Class 1 – Bromelioideae not listed elsewhere in Schedule, species & Hybrids (Acanthostachys, Ananas, Andropepis, Araeococcus, Bromelia, Canistropsis, Canistrum, Edmundoa, Fascicularia, Hohenbergia, Hohenbergiopsis, Neoglaziovia, Nidularium, Ochagavia, Orthophytum, Portea, Quesnelia, Ursulaea, Wittrockia) Class 2 – Guzmania species & hybrids Class 3 – Pitcairnia & Pipinia species & hybrids Class 4 – any other flowering bromeliad species & hybrids May - POPULAR VOTE June - POPULAR VOTE July - MINI SHOW Class 1 – Billbergia Class 2 – not listed elsewhere in Schedule, species & hybrids (Alcantarea, Catopsis, Mezobromelia, Racinaea, ) Class 3 – Neoregelia up to 200mm diameter when mature, species & hybrids Class 4 – any other flowering bromeliad species & hybrids August - POPULAR VOTE September - POPULAR VOTE October - MINI SHOW Class 1 – Neoregelia over 200mm diameter when mature, species & hybrids Class 2 – Tillandsia species & hybrids Class 3 – Pitairnioideae not listed elsewhere in Schedule, species & hybrids (Brocchinioideae, Lindmanioideae, Hechtioideae ( = Hechtia), Puyoideae ( = Puya), Navioideae, ( = Deuterocohnia, Encholirium, Fosterella) Class 4 – any other flowering bromeliad species & hybrids November - POPULAR VOTE

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