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Billbergias – Plain and Fancy

During the past few weeks (July / August) numbers of Billbergias have been flowering. Eg “Bobtail Gem”, “Curly Top”, “Oh Joy”, “Striata”, “Super Grace”, “Ellen”, “Pink Champagne”. All of these have colourful attractive foliage with shades of pink and red, green and yellow, spots, stripes and marbling.

However, there have been three others which do not have such attractive features, at least in their foliage viz B. “Violet Beauty”, B “El Nino” and B. Theodore L. Meade”.

When these billbergias are not flowering they are what some people might call “plain” and are not so popular because they have green or “dusky green” leaves that cannot compete with the beautiful foliage of the “ fancy” cultivars listed. But as they flowered in their term I found myself wanting to know more about them because each of the three has its unique appeal.

Billbergia “Violet Beauty” has been around since the early sixties. It is a cross, done by J. Giridlian between B. amoena (speciosa) and B. euphemiae (FCBS web site). Obviously some doubts indicated there. The leaves are pale green, powdered surface on the underside, which are also marked with fine parallel ridges. Derek Butcher comments that this billbergia is “probably a distichia cultivar, hybrid having the typical form and colouration of distichia but with violet colours in the inflorescence”. He also states that there is a striated form (B.C.R.)

Victoria Padilla’s description of B. Violet Beauty” states “Striking blue-green foliage makes a fine foil for the rose bracts and large open violet-petalled flowers”

It is this latter feature, which has persuaded me to keep on growing this plant over the years, and is now one of the things, which has prompted me to put pen to paper. The beauty of violet flowers makes this “plain” plant well worth growing.

Billbergia “El Nino” is a Don Beadle cultivar of rutans v. minima x sanderiana 1979. Don Beadle (U.S.A.) in the Bromeliad Cultivar Registry describes the plant as having “dusky-green to purple leaves with prominent black spines and a pendant inflorescence with large scape and primary bracts in a dusky rose. The petals are clear green with purple pointed tips”. How that makes you mouth water? Don likes the word “dusky” but it is certainly descriptive of the plants uniqueness. A “plain plant?”

Billbergia “Theodore L. Meade” the European hybridiser is J. Giridlian 1954. It is a cross between the species decora and rutans. To use the words of Victoria Padilla it has “spreading soft green pointed leaves” which just about covers it; one of those “plain” plants I have been writing about. Derek Butcher indicates that this billbergia is “identical in all respects to B. Meadii” grown by European growers”.

The large drooping inflorescence has large rose to red bracts and green recurved petals with dark blue margins. A multi-flowered specimen of this bilbergia has been growing in a sunny area where my wife and I have morning tea in the winter and we noticed that the flowers lasted at least a week longer than most other billbergias. A fact, which has been noted by others before us.

Back in the mid seventies we found this plant growing in an old garden on a property, which we rented at Toowong in Brisbane. We discovered that two sisters who were long time members of the Royal Horticultural Society had owned the property. It was one of the plants that first aroused our interest in bromeliads and started us on the journey, which has given us much pleasure. We joined the Bromeliad Society of Queensland in 1981 and a few years later we had a specimen of B. Theodore L. Meade with up to twelve inflorescences in varying stages of growth growing in a rusty drum. I painted up the old drum with silver paint and added it to the B.S.Q. display in the horticultural pavilion at the Brisbane Exhibition. It created a lot of interest and remains a good memory for us. The so called “plain” or even “old” plants of whatever genera of bromeliads are not in favour but the experience that my wife and I have had with these billbergias in recent weeks has reminded us that there is something unique about each plant which can bring enjoyment and interest.
By Bob and Mavis Paulsen

Tillandsia crocata

Tillandsia crocata is a little gem of the family. Although it is only small it makes up for this in colour and sweet fragrance. The beautiful yellow petals and elegant fragrance are irresistible attractions. The name comes from crocatus meaning with saffron yellow. The plant grows saxicolously (on rocks) in Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay at elevations of 90-2700 metres and forms an attractive clump. The plant may be simple or few-branched and the leaves are distichous (in opposing rows). The leaves are densely covered with coarse scales.

Tillandsia crocata is easy to cultivate, requires bright light, needs to be watered regularly but needs to dry out between waterings. It will grow in a range of different conditions, is fairly tough and a great favourite. Acknowledgments to Paul Isley 111 and BSI Journal.

GROWING TILLANDSIAS from SEED

Comments from a lecture given by Bob Hudson of the Cairns Bromeliad Study Group at “Brom-a-Warra”. Conference 2001.

Bob states that his biggest advantage is living in Cairns where the humidity and warmth suit the growing of bromeliads.

Many growing media have been tried including coconut fibre, cork bark, cork floor tiles, rope, tree fern slabs, polystyrene pieces, but he now grows the seeds on framed fly screen mesh, placing the seed on the mesh and spraying them with water as he goes to stop them blowing away.

The roof of his growing area is covered with white solar weave and is misted every 40 minutes for 10 seconds until the seed germinates and leaves appear. They are then shifted to another area where they do not receive so much water.

Bob has a great deal of success with tillandsias, but has grown vrieseas and guzmanias the same way.

There is more information in this reproduced lecture about fertilising and mounting Tillandsias in the Brom-a-Warra conference proceeding book which is available from the SCBS Inc. lending library.

Grace Goode OAM

Most of you have heard by now that our Life Member – Grace Goode – has been honored with the Order of Australia Medal (OAM) for the contribution she has made during the past thirty or more years in the hybridization and promotion of Bromeliads. Grace is highly regarded wherever this amazing family of plants is grown. The members of the Sunshine Coast Bromeliad Society Inc. congratulate Grace. We wish her well and count it a privilege to know her and to have had her support and encouragement from the outset of the formation of the Society.
By PRESIDENT BOB.

FLY SPECK SCALE

Every bromeliad grower soon discovers that their plants can become affected by the tiny black hard crusted scale which is aptly described by its common name. New members need to keep a watch out for it especially down around the leaf sheaths of the plants. The scale does not do much damage but the plants infested with the scale cannot be sold at our meetings or at our Shows.
It is not fair to release infested plants on unsuspecting members of the public.
Questions are being asked again by a number of growners on how to treat this pesky little bug which if left can get out of control and make bromeliads look ugly and make them virtually unsalable.

The questions have come from new growers and also from those who cannot buy David Gray’s granular insecticide locally.
First of all please note that it seems that the granular insecticide mentioned may still be available in areas outside the Sunshine Coast because of distribution hiccups. So if traveling outside the area try to buy it and let the members of the Committee know the result.

Two products are available at hardware stores and nurseries around the Sunshine Coast. They are bottled by Superway Garden Products, Beerwah, Queensland.

1. Superway dimethoate 300 available in 125ml, 250ml, 500ml and 1 litre packs. (This is the same as Rogor and is a systemic insecticide).
2. Superway Grub, Ant & Pest Controller, available in 250ml Chamber Pack and 500ml (Chlorpyrifos).
Previous experience by bromeliad growers have found the active ingredients in the above products effective in controlling the fly speck scale. Spraying in Spring and Autumn is suggested. Do not expect the scale to drop off miraculously. The insect is killed but the hard scale does not come off by itself.
PLEASE ALWAYS FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTIONS GIVEN ON THE PACKS WHEN USING CHEMICALS SUCH AS THE ABOVE.

NOTES ON VARIEGATED PLANTS including BROMELIADS

Variegated bromeliads are attractive and eye-catching because of the contrast of colors they display. They are decorative in the garden and indoors.

The variegations are caused by a lack of chlorophyll or natural color in sections of the leaves. Plants of course receive their energy from sunlight but the chlorophyll is responsible for photosynthesis by which plants make carbohydrates and oxygen from carbon dioxide and water. Where the cells which contain the chlorophyll are missing sections of the leaves do not color normally and cause variegations.

A mistake which is often made when growing variegated plants, including bromeliads, is that there is a tendency to over-protect them by placing them in shady areas. In fact it is better to expose them to better than normal light (but not direct sunlight) to make up for their deficiency in the process of photosynthesis.
Reference: Article by Pamela Jane in SUN-HERALD plus past experience of Growers RJP

Aechmea ‘Goldlines’
by Geoff Lawn

Of uncertain origin is an Aechmea variegate in Perth collections for over 10 years which is not common in Queensland, according to one leading Brisbane grower. This largish plant to one metre tall had been labelled Aechmea lindenii ‘Variegata’ to distinguish it from the other variegate Aechmea lindenii var. makoyana. Meanwhile the species Ae. lindenii had been reclassified back to its former name of Ae. comata (Ref: De Rebus Bromeliacearum 1 [Luther & Sieff, 1994]). The plant itself seems to be midway between Ae. comata and Ae. caudata, not matching any of the species descriptions in the sub-genus Ortgiesia.

The rather upright, funnelform rosette has 10-12 mossy-green, leathery but pliant leaves to 90 cms. long by up to 6 cms. wide, each with a slightly purplish base inside and pink flushed outside. The ligulate leaf blades have saw-like tiny 2mm. long brown spines and the leaf tips are rounded and cusped. Variegation is cream to yellow striations through the central leaf blades, not always consistently as some leaves show broad stripes while others are more lineated or in medio-picta form. Unfortunately this variegation is not stable and occasionally reverts to all-green pups.

Summer or Autumn-blooming, the erect spike has a densely white flocculose scape 50-70 cms. long. Peeling back the beige papery, 90mm. long narrowly-triangular scape bracts reveals an unusual variegated stem. The inflorescence is polystichous (arranged in rows), dense, cylindrical, to 16 cms. long and 5 cms. diameter, simple but occasionally branched slightly at its base, terminating at the apex in a coma (tuft of hairs).The inflorescence has papery beige 45mm.long primary bracts and 6mm. long floral bracts. The 12mm. long, ovoid-shaped, pale pinkish-orange ovaries are farinose. The 8mm.long golden yellow petals are hooded (black when spent) and the spine-tipped 8mm. long acuminate sepals merge with the ovary colour which soon turns light pink suffused green at the top. Post-floral, the long-lasting spike (3-4 months) ages to burnished orange and finally sets black berries if seed is produced.

This variegate’s foliage stripes do not “pink up” in maximum light. To distinguish it from other allied variegates in this group, it has been decided to name it Aechmea ‘Goldlines’, as this cultivar is probably a hybrid. Reproducing by woody stolons up to 15 cms. long, Ae. ‘Goldlines’ could not be considered prolific, hence its relative scarcity to date. However, as with the approximately 20 species in the sub-genus Ortgiesia, this cultivar is hardy and undemanding in temperate to warm climates and bright, filtered sunlight.

Genetically-modified Pineapple Crop Trials 1999-2008
by Geoff Lawn

The University of Queensland (UQ) and the Queensland Department of Primary Industries (QDPI) are both involved in the genetic modification of pineapples. Field trials of GM pineapples (Ananas comosus ‘Smooth Cayenne’) were previously approved under the Genetic Manipulation Advisory Committee (GMAC) system and recently, licences have been granted for the continuation of trials. The UQ pineapple plants have been modified to control flowering. The organization was granted its original licence to conduct field trials in 1999. With the current licence granted under the Office of the Gene Technology Regulator (OGTR), the proposed field trials will continue until 2007.
The QDPI have modified pineapple plants for blackheart reduction (browning of the heart) and to delay flowering. The approval of this application enables continuation of the trials that commenced in 2000 under the GMAC system, until 2008.
For further details on the UQ's application, visit : www.ogtr.gov.au/ir/dir027.htm
The QDPI application, visit :
www.ogtr.gov.au/ir/dir028.htm

Bromeliad Publicity

The family of plants known as Bromeliaceae has become widely known in Australia over the past thirty years or so; initially as the result of hard work and promotion by members of Bromeliad Societies around the country. More recently as Television gardening program presenters and home and garden magazine writers have discovered the amazing variety, versatility and potential of Bromeliads, the publicity they have been given has made them the flavour of the month (or year).

Bromeliads can be grown in shade houses, on patios, around swimming pools and barbecue areas. They are ideal in the garden and landscaped areas as well as in pot culture and home decorating. Some live quite happily on trees. The possibilities are only limited by the imagination.

BLAME IT ON COLUMBUS!!!

No European had any experience of Bromeliads until Christopher Columbus in the late fifteenth century landed on the island of Guadalupe and encountered the cultivated bromeliad which became the famous edible Pineapple (Ananus comosus). He was told it came from the northern areas of South America (The actual place origin is unknown).
Columbus took some samples of this “very delicious and refreshing to the taste” fruit back to Spain as gifts for the authorities and the King. The fame of the pineapple spread to all parts of Europe.
The first drawing of the pineapple was published in Spain in 1535 in the “Historia Universal de las Indias Occidentalis”.

Bromeliaceae Family

The Bromeliaceae family is divided into three subfamilies, namely Bromelioideae, Pitcairnioideae and Tillandsioideae, which contains different genera as listed below. These genera are further subdivided into species.

Forced Flowering

I was given a bromeliad a couple years ago as a gift. It has had several babies and I have transferred the young ones to other pots. My problem is how to get them to bloom?
The color or the leaves is light green and they are approx. 8 to 12" long and approx. 3" wide.
I live in Oklahoma and keep the plants inside in the winter and outside in partial shade in the summer and fertilize with Rapidgrow. I have tried the apple in a bag with no success and I have heard of G. acid. I like growing these plants and just wish I could get them to bloom.
I don't know the variety, as it was a gift, but the bloom on the original plant was about the size of a small fist, pink with light blue tips on a long stem.
Appreciate any info you might have. Thanks Jerry from Oklahoma.


I have not used the chemicals to promote flowering, but others do, with good results, if the plant is strong enough. It is used in the pineapple industry to have all the fruit develop at the same time.

I checked "Rapidgrow" on the web and noticed they talk about "fast" growth. This usually is connected to high nitrogen based fertilizers. Nitrogen on bromeliads like neoregelia, turns the plant green, as they are not stressed and the leaves become strappy. They are happy develop into much bigger plants, double there original size, with pupping increased and flowering put off for another year at least.

Most bromeliads do not require much nitrogen to live very happily and in nature as epiphytes, get very little. Our normal flowering fertilizers for bromeliads contain Nitrogen 3.0, Phosphorus 8.0, K for potassium 25.0 plus trace elements. This produces the stress to allow the plant to colour brightly and flower early. After flowering the mother can be heavily fertilized to produce many more pups. The small pups and seedlings can also be heavily fertilized with nitrogen initially, but this should be all used by the plant before reaching maturity.

Bromeliads in the Sunshine

There are many bromeliads which grow in full sun. Numbers of growers are experimenting successfully with these hardy and adaptable plants. Quite stunning effects can be achieved in landscaping if the right choices are made.

Most of the terrestrial bromeliads will grow in the sun. Some make great rockery plants. They include Ananas ( pineapple ), a miniature one with a brilliant red fruit and spectacular variegated plants; Bromelia – large and spiny with brilliant colours; Androlepis skinneri is impressive with lovely bronze leaves and cream flower head. All Dyckias, Hechtias, Enclolirtiums, Fascicularia, Orthophytums and Puya offer many choices. Portea petropolitana var. extensa has been grown as a landscape plant for many years, a large plant with glossy green leaves and blue-grey berries.

Many Neoregelias are happy sun-lovers. It is worth experimenting with Noeregelias. Try to choose those with tough leaves. Neoregelias worth trying are Arbian Nights, Aztec, Takemura cultivars and Bahiana, carolinae, compacta, cruenta, eleutheropetala, Fireball, Fosperior, kautski, Marcon, marmorata, pascoaliana, pauciflora and spectabilis. There are numbers of species in this but a lot of hybrids will adapt to sunlight. Winter is a good time to acclimatise bromeliads to the sunshine.

The variety continues as we think of Aechmeas like acquilegia, Burgundy, Bert, blanchetiana (wow!), bracteate, caudata, chantinii, distichantha, fasciata, mulfordii, the many varieties of nudicaulis (great for growing on trees and driftwood), pectinata, ramose, and recurvata, to name just a few.

We cannot leave out the Alcantareas and Vrieseas. They are some of the most appealing and colourful plants for the garden. Try Alcantarea edmundoi, imperialis, regina and vinicolour (wine coloured foliage), as well as Vreiesea fosteriana, flammea, lubbersii, gigantea, neoglutinosa and oligantha.

Try your creativity and be adventurous with the sun-lovers of the bromeliad family.

Oh! I nearly forgot, the silver grey Tillandsias lap up the sunshine.

Acknowledgment is made to the Sarasota Bromeliad Society (U.S.A.) for the above listings.

SEED GERMINATION
By Lynn Rowe, Bad Soden-Salmunster, Germany

There’s nothing quite like growing Cryptanthus or for that matter, any bromeliad from seed. It’s an incredible feeling, watching a tiny, hard little seed grow up into an adult! On the other side of things, it’s really inexpensive way of increasing your collection and makes for good trading material! I read all I could on bromeliad seed growing, which not only wasn’t much, but was confusing
and a bit daunting, what with every different type of seed needing different soil, light, etc. I simply don’t have the time, or the room, to give each seed group individual care. At $1 for a pack of seed, I decided to try, anyways, using my own, very simple method. I use this method for all bromeliad seeds except Tillandsias.

I sow my bromeliad seed on the same mix I use for the adults – 50% Canadian Peat and 50% Perlite, wetted with warm soapy (Ivory) water. Warm, soapy water will dampen the peat evenly and quickly. This mix is placed in a flat tray, to a depth of 2.5 cm. Seeds are placed on top of the mix (in groups by species, or hybrids) and plastic name tags placed beside each group. I sow Dyckias, Neos, Orthos, and Cryptanthus all together in each tray used. I prefer trays with drainage holes, as I can then bottom-water by placing the tray in the bathtub. Fill your bath with warm soapy water, or use the water that remains after you’ve had a bath. This “used” bathwater is called “grey water” and is very good for plants. The soap residue acts as a natural insecticide and fights bacteria. Again, the warm, soapy water will also evenly dampen the mix. Next, I place a clear plastic lid over each tray. Having for years grown other plants by seed, I knew what difference bottom-heat can make. I hadn’t heard much about using bottom heat on bromeliad seeds, but I gave it a try and the results were spectacular! Germination can start as quickly as one hour from sowing, and all seeds are usually germinated after three days. I used to use an electric heating pad, but one, it’s electric and the seed tray is damp, and two, a friend sent me so many seeds knowing that I didn’t have the heart to throw out the excess, that I was sowing 8 or 10 trays at a time and heating pads aren’t cheap!

Looking around, I realized my King-size water bed could easily hold 10 trays of seed…. So they got the waterbed, I got the couch! I keep the bed at 26 degrees C, place the trays directly on the mattress and cover them with a white cotton sheet. After 2-3 days, everyone should be germinated and the sheet can be removed. After two weeks the trays are placed on the plant shelves under artificial light and treated as adults, but still bottom-watered. At three weeks, the seedlings are potted up individually and their adult life begins!

SUMMARY

Mix 50 % Canadian Peat and 50% Perlite. Dampen with warm, soapy water, fill a tray to 2.5 cm depth.
Sow seeds on top, do not cover with soil.
Cover with a clear plastic lid. Place on waterbed mattress and cover with a white cotton sheet, for 2 – 3 days.
Remove sheet, provide some light.
After 14 days, place seedlings trays with adults.
After 21 days, pot up individually.

It may be a weird way to grow bromeliads by seed, but it’s quick and easy and very inexpensive! (if you don’t have a waterbed, children’s sizes are very inexpensive, and if you later decide not to grow more seed, the bed liner makes a great garden pool!).

Note: Taken from Central Coast NSW Bromeliad Society Inc. Bromelia Post – January 2005.

Fire Ants - Movement of Potted Plants Interstate

For purposes of interstate trade, the entire state of Queensland is under quarantine, due to the threat of Fire Ants.

This means that all plants moving interstate are required to have either
· Plant Health Certificate; or a
· Plant Health Assurance Certificate to accompany the consignment:

For more information and assistance contact the Department of Primary Industries - Fire Ants on Phone 13 25 23.

It is important for plant growers and collectors to be familiar with the precautions and regulations governing fire ant control.

There are very serious consequences which follow if we neglect to do our part in controlling this pest.

Our way of life could be threatened.

Literature is available from our Librarian.