Bromeliad Society of New Zealand

Details

Written by BSNZ Admin

March 2018
VOL 58 NO 3
2018 … show results and photos
Tillandsia ‘Maya’… Champion of the Showby Lynette Nash. Photo Graeme Barclay.

New from New Zealand
– By Graeme Barclay
Check out the latest great hybrid from the Lambert-Mitchell dynamic duo!

xVriesgoudaea ‘Jags Hunua Tropicana’
John Lambert – 2010 | Reg: November 2017

Mature open large rosette
to 84cm diameter x 48cm
high. New growth starts out
glossy green, but in strong light, leaves
become raspberry red with darker
red glyph-like cross-banding. The
ten-branched inflorescence to 80cm

xVriesgoudaea ‘Jags Hunua Tropicana’
PHOTO JOHN MITCHELL
high has relatively narrow vermilion
orange ‘paddles’. Seed raised by
John Mitchell. Grex siblings = ‘Jags
Hunua Fire’, ‘Jags Hunua Gloss’,
‘Jags Hunua Fountain’, ‘Jags Hunua
Rouge’.

The parentage formula is: Goudaea
ospinae var. gruberi x Vriesea ‘Angela’.

The cross was made by John Lambert
(‘Jags’ = John & Agatha’s), the seed

was grown and plants were selected by

John Mitchell of Papakura (‘Hunua’),

hence the combination stable name.

This plant, along with ‘Jags Hunua
Rouge’ and ‘Jags Hunua Fountain’, are

the latest of this amazing xVriesgoudaea

group of hybrids to be registered, adding

to the spectacular clan of sibling plants
mentioned above. The difference with
this one is the larger size and the multi

coloured leaves, that create a ‘tropical’

effect with the spectacular orange

inflorescence. As you can see from
John’s photo, growing it high, filtered
light, brings out a myriad of red, pink,
orange colour tones, with the lighter

central green leaves really accentuating

the glyph markings. Like its siblings,

it should also be a reasonably hardy

outdoor plant, but experimenting with

positioning and light intensity is key to
ensure the kaleidoscope of leaf colour
really comes to the fore.

 

Bromeliad Society of New Zealand Inc

Bromeliad Journal – March 2018 issue

 

CONTENTS
‘New from New Zealand’ – Graeme Barclay 2
President’s Page – Diane Timmins 4
Bromeliad Society February meeting news – Dave Anderson 5
Plant of the Month – Diane Timmins 6
Winning plants from our February meeting 7
‘Special Species Spotlight’ – Graeme Barclay 8
Conference Corner 2021 – Graeme Barclay 10
‘Fiesta’ 2018 photos – Andrew Devonshire 11
‘Fiesta’ 2018 show – judges review – Dave Anderson 14
‘Fiesta’ 2018 – trophy winners and class winners 15
Garden visit… Lois Phillips – Diane and Lucy Timmins 17
Group News 20
Society officers, subs and Journal directory 22
Eden Garden in autumn – Isla McGowan and Diane Timmins 23

The opinions expressed in articles or letters in this Journal are the contributors’ own views and

do not necessarily express the views or the policy of the Bromeliad Society of New Zealand.

COMING EVENTS

Please see the Group News section on page 20 for details of meeting times and venues.

MARCH APRIL
25th Northland Group meeting and 24th Society monthly meeting at
AGM Greyfriar’s Hall, corner of Mt Eden and
27th Society Annual General Meeting Windmill roads, starting at 7.30pm. The

and monthly meeting at Greyfriar’s monthly competition is New Zealand
Hall, corner of Mt Eden and Windmill neoregelia hybrids and Diana Holt will
roads, starting at 7.30pm. The monthly also be talking on the same topic.
competition is billbergias and Peter
Coyle will also be giving a talk on the
same genus.

Front Cover: Tillandsia ‘Maya’… Champion of the Show at the 2018 ‘Fiesta’. The
winning entry is from Lynette Nash. Photo by Graeme Barclay.

 

PRESIDENT’S PAGE

As always, our ‘Fiesta’ was

a wonderful event. Along

with a magnificent show of
competition plants, there were some
amazing plants for sale, ranging from
rare collectables to good old garden
classics. We had a great range of sellers
this year. It’s always nice to see people
come from out of town to enjoy the
show and sale too. From our Society’s
perspective there were excellent plant
sales, just under last year’s takings. With
running costs alleviated by charging a
nominal fee for sales tables, we were
able to make a healthy profit, both for
the BSNZ, and for the fundraising for
our 2021 conference. Of course none
of this would be possible without the
tireless help of you all. For months
in advance we begin booking, and
promoting, there is setting up lights,
floors, tables and tills, and building
a fabulous display. Processing and
judging our superb competition plants.
Manning and processing the entry,
sales, teas, club promotion and raffle.
Accommodating our sellers, and our
competitors, of course the inevitable
clean-up and unravelling. And perhaps
most of all to you our members, and the
general public who came and enjoyed
our event, ‘thank you’ – we couldn’t
have done it without your efforts, taking
time out of your day to be involved.

I’m looking forward to autumn settling
in – It is my favourite time of year for

bromeliads. Great colour, and hopefully

no more annoying weather extremes
for a while. I don’t want to tempt fate

though, as cyclone ‘Hola’ looms above

us as I write.

I’ve only just released yet another
batch of broms from their lush blanket
of green… weeds! Urgh. They’ve

certainly flourished in this recent wet

warm weather phase. Quite satisfying

though, to see the little bromeliads

– their smiley faces staring up from
clean dark soil, instead of a sea of

green. So I don’t mind if this autumn

time produces cooler evenings, and our

second growing phase is our bromeliads
outdoing those… weeds!

Based on the principle that there’s

good growth in spring (September,
October November), then a period of

dry over summer where survival is

the key, followed by another growth
opportunity in autumn (March, April,
May), you may like to give your plants
their last feed in early autumn, and a bit
more TLC, to bolster them up before

the oncoming winter months.

See you on Tuesday at our monthly

meeting, I can’t wait to see Peter Coyle’s

fabulous new billbergia hybrids. Bring
along your favourite billbergia for the
monthly competition table!

Diane Timmins

 

ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

The AGM of the Bromeliad Society of New Zealand will be held
on Tuesday March 27th at Greyfriar’s Hall, Mt Eden at 7.30pm –

immediately before our normal monthly meeting. Please attend,
have your say and get involved in your Society!

 

Bromeliad Society February

Meeting News – Notes and photos by Dave Anderson

President Diane Timmins chaired
the meeting and welcomed
members and visitors including
those new members who had joined at
the ‘Fiesta’. Diane said that the Fiesta
was a success despite numbers being
down on last year and thanked all those
members who had worked so hard and
helped make it a successful event. The
overall quality of the show plants this
year was excellent. The trophies for
the various show class winners were
presented.

Our AGM will be held next month on
March 27th at 7.30pm. The monthly
meeting will follow the AGM. Peter
Waters once again took us through the
‘Show and Tell’ plants. First up for
display were two plants of the species
Aechmea guarapariensis. Graeme
Barclay said that the particular clone

of the species that he brought in, with
its 600mm long leaves, was cold hardy

so should do well in NZ. The smaller

plant, with its 200mm long leaves,

has had several different names since

it arrived in NZ about 30 years ago,

however it is also thought to be the true
species. Next up and also for display
was the colourfully patterned hybrid
made by Lisa Vincent – Aechmea
‘Haiku’. The parents are Aechmea
correia-araujoi x Aechmea orlandiana.
The giant form of the species Tillandsia
funckiana with its bright red flower
spike was shown. Lastly, a single clump

of plants wanting a name was thought
to be Tillandsia aeranthos x Tillandsia
bergeri. However, the flowers were
not twisted as is usual with Tillandsia

bergeri plants.

The special raffle was won by Betty

Goss. The door prizes went to Noelene

Ritson, Claire Roberts and Dave

Dawson.

COMPETITIONS:

Open Flowering: First was John

Mitchell with a Hohenbergia
magnispina that was voted plant of the
month. Second was Graeme Barclay
with Guzmania sanguinea. Also in the
competition were Aechmea nudicaulis
var. capitata, Goudaea ospinae var.
gruberi, Nidularium fulgens ‘Orange
Bract’ and Orthophytum catingae.

Open Foliage: John Mitchell was
first with his Vriesea ‘Tickled Pink’
hybrid. Graeme Barclay was second
with Vriesea ‘Cherry Snow’ F2.
In the competition were Billbergia

‘Hallelujah’ x ‘Hazy Purple’,

Neoregelia lilliputiana x (‘Tiger Cub’ x
‘Oesers Black Knight’), Vriesea ‘Bees
Knees’, ‘Misty Sunday’, vagans and
Werauhia kupperiana.

Tillandsia: Peter Coyle was first

with Tillandsia ‘Marron’. Second
was Lynette Nash with Tillandsia
ionantha ‘Fuego’. There were also on
the table Tillandsia capitata ‘Yellow’,
and califanii.

Neoregelia: Peter Coyle was first with

Neoregelia ‘Curmudgeon’ F2 and
Graeme Barclay was second with a
Neoregelia ‘Mako’. In the competition

Cont’d P6

 

Cont’d from P5 – Bromeliad Society Meeting News

were Neoregelia ‘Blushing Tiger’,
‘Sweet Nellie’ 11A, ‘Tara Little Chica’

and ‘Tara Magic Tiger’.

Named Monthly Plant (Aechmea
fasciata and hybrids): First was

John Muddiman with Aechmea
‘Primera’. Second was John Mitchell

with Aechmea ‘Sangria’. Also in the
competition were Aechmea ‘Kiwi’ and
‘Morgana’ that is spineless.

A plant commentary on some of the
above plants was as follows:

• Nidularium ‘Orange Bract’ – This
plant has been in NZ for several decades
named as Nidularium fulgens ‘Orange’
but has recently had a name change.
• Orthophytum catingae – A species
from the dry forests of NE Brazil.
• Werauhia kupperiana – A beautiful
green patterned species that comes
from the very warm climates of Central
America. It is quite tricky to grow in
NZ with our cooler climate.

• Neoregelia ‘Tara Little Chica’ –
A small hybrid bred by Diana Holt that
won Best Miniature Neoregelia at the
recently held 2018 Fiesta.
• Aechmea ‘Kiwi’ – A plant that has
been around since the 1980s. cv. of
fasciata grown in New Zealand from
imported seed – Has consistent red-
brown striping in the leaves – Fasciata
Group Country of origin: New Zealand.
Seed Parent: fasciata. B. Hanson
The Plant of the Month went to John

Mitchell with Hohenbergia magnispina.

Congratulations to all the winners.

NEXT MEETING AND OUR AGM:

Tuesday 27th March.

 

From our February meeting.
Hohenbergia magnispina… grown by John Mitchell

 

OI must confess I may have

briefly considered the old

adage that owners can look
like their pets when I began describing
a fabulous plant that had clean lines,
a podgy base while rising above there
was inflorescence that was sprinkled
with white fuzz.

But I digress, our February ‘Plant of

the Month’ was an absolutely stunning

plant. With ominous black spines, this

specimen looked like it could’ve come
from the dinosaur era. When I read it
was named after its ‘retrorsely uncinate

spines’, I immediately went hunting for

my dictionary! I found…

• Retrorse: pointing backwards or in a
direction opposite to normal
• Uncinate: having a hooked spine
I could see this was not a plant to be

trifled with. John credits the secret

to his success to getting a greater
understanding of a plant’s needs by
studying the environment from which

it originated …in this case, the arid

conditions of the Caatinga area of Brazil.
Here there are only two distinguishable

seasons – summer, when it is hot and

 

7
Plant of the month and first in Open Flowering section:
Hohenbergia magnispina (John Mitchell).
PHOTO DAVE ANDERSON
Winners at our February meeting.
wet, and winter – when it is hot and dry….very dry. The plant has
adapted its growth habit to survive extreme dry, with tight foliage
close in at the top and a bulbous base.
John’s Hohenbergia magnispina is situated high up in his glasshouse
where light levels are strong, and is not liberally watered, getting
just a smattering when neighbouring plants may get plenty.
Superbly grown, not only did it win Plant of the Month at our
monthly meeting, but was recognised by the judges at our annual
‘Fiesta’ Show and Sale as the winner of ‘Best Bromeliad Species’,
thoroughly earning itself a spot on the trophy table.
First in OpenFoliage section:
Vriesea ‘Tickled Pink’
(John Mitchell)
First in Tillandsia section:
Tillandsia ‘Marron’
(Peter Coyle)
First in Neoregeliasection: Neoregelia‘Curmudgeon’ F2(Peter Coyle)
Named Monthly Plant:
Aechmea ‘Primera’
(John Muddiman)

Article and photos by Graeme Barclay
This large plant is another I recently bloomed this summer for the first time –
a fitting plant for the festive season.

Hohenbergia stellata

This beautiful species is another stunning bloom of Hohenbergia
that has a somewhat puzzling stellata quickly captivated my interest
history in New Zealand. The after seeing it in books and collections

Hohenbergia stellata (Red Bract Form). Flower close-up.

in Australia. It also intrigued me as to
why it was not commonly available in

New Zealand, especially after learning
how long ago it was first discovered

and brought into cultivation.

Hohenbergia stellata was first
collected in the wilds of Bahia state,
Brazil, by German botanist Carl
Martius, way back in 1818. It was then
described in 1830, making it one of the
first bromeliads to be published and

seen back in Europe. The name stellata
refers to ‘the ‘star-like’ resemblance

of the floral bract clusters on the
inflorescence. It also grows on some

of the southern Caribbean islands and

in Venezuela, both epiphytically and

terrestrially between altitudes of 80

1400 metres, so it has quite a wide
range of habitat. To my knowledge,

there are only two main clones in
cultivation – the red bract and the pink
bract forms. There is a light pink and

possibly darker pink/purple clone too,

but I have personally only ever seen

the light pink clone in bloom, as well

as my red clone pictured here. The red
bract form supposedly comes from

more southern areas of Bahia, with the

pink forms further north.

A light pink bract clone was first

introduced into New Zealand many

years ago, so why is it still extremely

rare here? Like we observed in

November’s Journal, with Quesnelia
seideliana, the probable reason is that
particular clone was not quite hardy

enough to survive outdoors in our cold,

wet winters. Almost all hohenbergias
do not enjoy such conditions and

careful positioning and protection
from overwatering in winter is
normally required. I only know of one

other plant still living up in Northland,
so if you still grow it, or have seen it
around, please let me know.

The outstanding feature of my
Hohenbergia stellata (Red Bract
Form), is undoubtedly the dazzling
scarlet inflorescence, widely

considered to be the most striking of
all hohenbergia species. The spike
rises around 50-60cm above the

rosette, the intense red colour lasting
for three months before slowly fading,

with the violet-blue petals appearing

from the flower clusters over many

weeks. The leaves are long and strappy
and can reach up to a metre long if well

fed and shade-grown, but typical pot

growth in good light produces a large
plant over a metre in diameter. This red
clone I have has been growing in my
unheated greenhouse from a large pup
size and seemed to handle winter down

to 5-6 degrees without any significant

deterioration or issues. It produced

several pups around blooming time,

so I am looking forward to trialling the

next generation in warm, semi-shaded
positions in the garden, and also

mounted as an epiphyte in my Kanuka
trees to see how they perform.

As mentioned in the introduction,

with the stunning red and green

colouration, this is definitely the ideal

‘Christmas brom’. I don’t think we’ll
be disappointed at all if that’s the time
of year it likes to bloom here!

 

‘KIWI BROMS’ CONFERENCE CORNER – APRIL 2021
– Graeme Barclay
As usual, we had a wonderful ‘Fiesta’ Show
and Sale, with our conference plant sales
yielding a very positive outcome. As well
as the conference sales table where members
bought along plants to sell, we had five rare plants
on a Silent/Blind Auction table that were kindly
donated by three members. This auction involved
patrons putting their highest bids into a sealed
box, with the bids collated at 2pm on the Sunday
afternoon.
Four of the five plants sold, netting a terrific
total of $870! The sales table also made another
$303, for a combined total of $1,173. A HUGE
THANKS once again to all those who donated
(and purchased) plants. It is fantastic to see the
enthusiasm so many members have towards
achieving our goal. We have therefore added
another $1,621 to our fund (including with $448
from our meeting plant sales for the last 3 months),
giving us a grand total to date of $6,111.
As mentioned last month, we are running a week-long Online Facebook Plant
$5,000$0$10,000$15,000$21,000$2,500$7,500$12,500$17,500OUR GOAL
$21,000
Fundraising Update
COMING UP…
Facebook Plant Sale
and Auction • APRIL 8th-15th
Sale & Auction, that will be hosted on the ‘Kiwi Trade A Bromeliad’ Facebook
page. This is an open group page that you can easily join. Anyone is able to sell,
auction and buy plants on the page, dealing directly with sellers for payment
and delivery (as per ‘Trademe’). The full details on how it will work will be
posted from Sunday 24th March on this group, with an advertisement also on the
main Kiwi Bromeliad Group page. If you haven’t already done so, make yourself
acquainted with these two groups, mark the calendar and start thinking about

something you may wish to sell or auction off to help our fundraising. There are
sure to be some rare and interesting plants up for grabs in this new sale format.
Please take a look!

 

2018 BROMELIAD

 

A selection of show
competition photos…

BY ANDREW DEVONSHIRE

BEST TILLANDSIA AND
CHAMPION OF THE SHOW:
Lynette Nash – Tillandsia ‘Maya’
BEST VRIESEA: John Mitchell –
Vriesea ‘Hunua Fireburst’
BEST BILLBERGIA: John Mitchell –
Billbergia ‘Hallelujah’ x ‘Hazy Purple’
BEST GUZMANIA: David Goss –
Guzmania ‘Tricolor
BEST N.Z. HYBRID: John Mitchell – Vriesea
‘Midnight Splendor’ x gigantea var seideliana
More photos on P12 and P13 11

 

2018 BROMELIAD

 

BEST NEOREGELIA: Peter Coyle – Neoregelia ‘Margaret’

BEST BROMELIAD SPECIES:
John Mitchell –

Hohenbergia magnispina

 

BEST BROMELIAD

ARRANGEMENT: Lynette Nash

FIRST IN NEOREGELIA MIDI:
Peter Coyle – Neoregelia

‘Punctate’ x ‘Jewellery Shop’

BEST MINIATURE BROMELIAD:
Diana Holt – Neoregelia ‘Tara Little
Chica’ BEST ARTISTIC ARRANGEMENT: Lynette Nash

 

FIRST IN TILLANDSIA SMALL BLOOMING: FIRST IN TILLANDSIA LARGE BLOOMING:
Lynette Nash – Tillandsia espinosae Peter Coyle – Tillandsia jalisco-monticola

PHOTOS BELOW BY GRAEME BARCLAY…

13More photos on P14
BEST AECHMEA: Graeme Barclay –
Aechmea ‘Nigre Nudicaulis’
FIRST IN NIDULARIUM:
Graeme Barclay – Nidularium 'Menescal'
Guzmania monostachia

2018 BROMELIAD

 

AND A FEW MORE FROM ANDREW…

FIRST IN VARIEGATED BROMELIAD:
Dot Leaning – Neoregelia ‘Harpo’
FIRST IN CRYPTANTHUS:
Alex Chin – Cryptanthus bivittatus
Show judging review

– Dave Anderson
At the ‘Fiesta’ 2018 annual Although most exhibits were well
competitive show it was presented, there were a number
great to have a very wide and that were badly displayed. These
extensive number of entries albeit exhibits were not central in the pots,
the overall numbers were down on the pots were dirty with the plants
previous years. Congratulations to themselves not cleaned etc.
all those members who exhibited
plants, especially those who were In case you are wondering how a
successful in winning the various judge looks at your exhibits I suggest
sections. you read the now outdated but

extremely useful guide ‘A Grower’s
It was noticeable that those Guide to Bromeliad Judging’ by
competitors who had grown their Don Woods. It succinctly simplifies
plants outdoors had a lot of marks the points scoring for bromeliads
on the leaves compared with and enables a grower to make a
previous years. This reflected the better assessment of their plants.
much wetter weather that we had Please note that, as Don says, the
when the rain never seemed to form is not intended to replace the
stop through most of 2017. Also, BSI handbook etc.
there were far fewer aechmea and
guzmania plants and that was I wish members all the best for
probably caused by the colder than growing their plants for next year’s
usual spring. Even so, the standard competitions.
of entry was very high.

 

2018 BROMELIAD

 

2018 ANNUAL SHOW
TROPHY WINNERS

Best Aechmea Graeme Barclay – Aechmea ‘Nigre Nudicaulis’
Best Billbergia John Mitchell – Billbergia ‘Hallelujah’ x ‘Hazy Purple’
Best Guzmania David Goss – Guzmania ‘Tricolor’
Best Neoregelia Peter Coyle – Neoregelia ‘Margaret’
Best Tillandsia Lynette Nash – Tillandsia ‘Maya’
Best Vriesea John Mitchell – Vriesea ‘Hunua Fireburst’
Best N. Z. Hybrid John Mitchell –
Vriesea ‘Midnight Splendor’ x gigantea var seideliana
Best Miniature Bromeliad Diana Holt – Neoregelia ‘Tara Little Chica’
Best Bromeliad species John Mitchell – Hohenbergia magnispina
Best Bromeliad Arrangement Lynette Nash
Best Artistic Arrangement Lynette Nash
Most Points of the Show Peter Coyle
Champion of the Show Lynette Nash – Tillandsia ‘Maya’

2018 ANNUAL SHOW CLASS WINNERS

Class 1 – Aechmea Class 6 – Bromeliad Species

1st Graeme Barclay Aechmea ‘Nigre Nudicaulis’ 1st John Mitchell Hohenbergia magnispina
2nd Graeme Barclay Aechmea ‘Black Beauty’ 2nd Graeme Barclay Goudaea ospinae var.
3rd Peter Coyle Aechmea ‘Roberto gruberi

Menescal’ 3rd David Cowie Tillandsia tectorum

Class 3 – Billbergia Class 7 – Neoregelia

1st John Mitchell Billbergia ‘Hallelujah’ x 1st Peter Coyle Neoregelia ‘Margaret’

‘Hazy Purple’ 2nd Diana Holt Neoregelia ‘Tara Brownie
2nd Peter Waters Billbergia ‘Bob’ Points’
3rd Peter Coyle Billbergia ‘Totara Tease’ 3rd Graeme Barclay Neoregelia ‘Groves Red

Tiger’

Class 4 – Cryptanthus & Orthophytum
1st Alex Chin Cryptanthus bivittatus Class 8 – Neoregelia midi size
2nd Peter Coyle Cryptanthus zonatus 1st Peter Coyle Neoregelia ‘Punctate’ x
3rd Dot Leaning Cryptanthus ‘Fine ‘Jewellery Shop’

Feathers’ 2nd Diana Holt Neoregelia ‘Tara Magic

Tiger’
Class 5 – Guzmania 3rd Peter Coyle Neoregelia ‘Cooloola
1st David Goss Guzmania ‘Tricolor’ Dazzler’
2nd Graeme Barclay Guzmania sanguinea
3rd Peter Coyle Guzmania monostachia

Cont’d P16 15

 

Cont’d from P15 – Show winners

Class 9 – Nidularioides Class 20 – Variegated bromeliad

1st Graeme Barclay Nidularium ‘Menescal’ 1st Dot Leaning Neoregelia ‘Harpo’
2nd Peter Waters Nidularium ferrugineum 2nd Graeme Barclay Neoregelia ‘Blushing
3rd Graeme Barclay Nidularium Zebra’

altimontanum 3rd Peter Coyle Neoregelia ‘Chrissy’

Class 10 – Tillandsia Small Blooming Class 21 – Pitcairnioideae

1st Lynette Nash Tillandsia espinosae 1st Andrew Devonshire Dyckia ‘Tuatara’
2nd Lynette Nash Tillandsia loliacea
3rd Peter Coyle Tillandsia scaposa x Class 23 – Dish or tray garden

velutina or novelty planting

1st Lynette Nash
Class 11 – Tillandsia Small Foliage 2nd Lynette Nash
1st Peter Coyle Tillandsia ehlersiana x 3rd David Goss

streptophylla
2nd Peter Waters Tillandsia burle-marxii Class 24 – Bromeliad arrangement
3rd Lynette Nash Tillandsia ‘Trixie’ 1st Lynette Nash

2nd Lynette Nash
Class 14 – Tillandsia Large Blooming 3rd David Goss
1st Peter Coyle Tillandsia jalisco

monticola Class 25 – Artistic or floral arrangement
2nd Lynette Nash Tillandsia tectorum 1st Lynette Nash
3rd Lynette Nash Tillandsia crocata 2nd Lynette Nash

Class 15 – Tillandsia Large Foliage Class 26 – Decorative container

1st Lynette Nash Tillandsia heteromorpha 1st Lynette Nash Tillandsia ‘Maya’
2nd Peter Coyle Tillandsia ehlersiana 2nd Lynette Nash Tillandsia tectorum
3rd Lynette Nash Tillandsia ‘Boom’ 3rd Graeme Barclay Aechmea ‘Roberto

Menescal’

Class 16 – Vriesea Blooming
1st Peter Coyle Vriesea ‘Kent’s Sunset’ Class 27 – Hanging container

(Novar) 1st Peter Coyle Neoregelia ‘Hot
2nd David Goss Goudaea ‘Tiger Tim’ Embers’
3rd John Mitchell Lutheria splendens 2nd Peter Coyle Neoregelia ‘Chrissy’

3rd Andrew Devonshire Neoregelia ‘Mai Skinny
Class 17 – Vriesea Foliage Love’
1st John Mitchell Vriesea ‘Hunua

Fireburst’ Class 28 – New Zealand Hybrid
2nd John Mitchell xVriesgoudaea ‘Jags 1st John Mitchell Vriesea ‘Midnight
Hunua Gloss’ Splendor’ x gigantea
3rd Peter Coyle Vriesea ‘Cherry Snow’ var seideliana

(John Mitchell)
Class 18 – Bigeneric or other unlisted genus 2nd Peter Coyle Neoregelia ‘Totara
1st Graeme Barclay xCanmea ‘Repton’ Firecracker’
2nd John Mitchell xVriesgoudaea ‘Jags (Peter Coyle)

Hunua Fire’ 3rd Diana Holt Neoregelia ‘Tara Green
3rd Peter Coyle Hohenbergia ‘Karla’ Forrest’ (Diana Holt)

Class 29 – Original Bromeliad Artwork
Class 19 – Miniature bromeliad 1st Issy Cowie
1st Diana Holt Neoregelia ‘Tara Little 2nd Andrew Devonshire

Chica’ 3rd Andrew Devonshire
2nd Andrew Devonshire Neoregelia (‘Tascha’ x
‘Alley Cat’) x ‘Fire Bee’ Class 30 – Educational Display
3rd Diana Holt Neoregelia ‘Tara Chico’ 1st David Goss

 

More from our November 2017 garden visits…

– Diane Timmins, with photos by Lucy Timmins
Colour, contrast and vibrancy
in the garden of Lois Phillips

Our November BSNZ Auckland
garden visits included the

home of artist and florist Lois

Phillips.

Not far from Jenny Foster’s property

– which we also visited this day (see
article in January’s Journal), Lois had
been good friends with Noel Scotting,
the previous owner of Jenny’s place.

Lois has fond memories of going over
to Noel’s on a Saturday night with a
bottle of wine where they would enjoy

a dinner, and Noel would play her

ukulele into the wee small hours.

Noel was a florist too, and was also
an avid gardener, and Lois attributes

her interest in bromeliads to Noel’s
guidance. Lois’ archway was inspired

by Noel, and the concept of installing
art pieces, and celebrating a tropical
theme, was probably also part of Noels
influence.

Inside her home, Lois has a beautiful

display of paintings. Many have been
inspired by the world of plants and

flowers that has been a big part of her
life. Her floral art skill over the years
has won her a first and a second prize at

the prestigious Ellerslie Flower Show.

Her natural artistic talent is reflected

in her beautiful garden that is full of
vibrant colour accentuated by south

east asian art pieces. Lois has clever,

brightly painted bamboo poles which

stand upright in the garden, offering
highlights and contrasts of colour,

height and texture.

When a visiting group requested she
had a name for the property that they

could refer to, the Balinese gates on

the property lead her to call her place
‘Bali Gardens’. Planted abundantly

with bromeliads, palms shrubs and
ferns, there is a definite warm tropical

feel about this garden.

Lois prefers allowing her bromeliads

to form large clumps, offering spreads

of colour rather than single specimens.

Her secret recipe for garden success?
Providing a good mulch. And very

resourceful too, might I add. Lois

gathers up the fallen oak leaves from

local berm trees, saving the local

council a heap of clean-up work.
Huge sacks of them are spread on the
ground in her gardens. Apart from

their aesthetic appeal, the layer that
they form suppresses weeds, holds in
moisture, and provides nutriment as it

breaks down.

Word gets around, a number of groups
have visited her property of late, and

we were privileged to be able to visit
this lovely garden and enjoy its colour
and vibrancy.

Photos on P18 and P19 17

 

Lois Phillips’ garden…

 

18

We have now reviewed three of the gardens our Society group visited in
November. Three down and one beauty still to go… the Howick garden of
Pas and Jim Southon. Coming up shortly!

 

Group News

Northland Bromeliad Group

– Nancy Peters
In February Graeme Smithyman
presided over a meeting of 32 members
at the home of Vivienne Curry at
Mangatapere. Photos can be viewed
on our group’s Facebook page.

Empty flower pots were brought and

members were encouraged to split and
pot up bromeliads before the Orchid
and Bromeliad Show which will be
held September14th/15th this year.
Please make a note in your diaries.

Our meeting was followed by a shared
lunch and then we proceeded by cars to

the garden and home of Janet Mahoney
in Dargaville. Just over a year ago
Janet and her husband transferred their

extensive collection of bromeliads
from the east coast near Tutukaka to
the west coast at Dargaville. What a
huge effort and a great reward for us

all to see such a magnificent collection

in their new situations.

From Janet’s garden we proceeded to

the home and garden of Betty Mason.
The day was glorious and we spent the
rest of the afternoon enjoying Betty’s
extensive bromeliad garden and
afternoon tea before we hit the road
back to Whangarei.

‘Show and Tell’ Competition
Winners:

1st Pat Vendt – Aechmea ‘Ensign’,
2nd Zena Poulgrain – Billbergia
‘Hallelujah’, 3rd Diana Smithyman –
Nidularium ‘Nana’.

Next meeting: This will be our
AGM. Sunday 25th March at 1.30pm,
Masonic Lodge meeting rooms, 17
Albert Street, Whangarei. The meeting

will be followed by a talk by Zena
Poulgrain on how to pot up and present
plants.

South Auckland Bromeliad Group

– Hawi Winter
Our March activity was a bus tour to
the winterless North. Our members
were well prepared; they brought their
labelled boxes for plant purchases and
wallets. We were warmly welcomed
by Graeme and Diana Smithyman
plus some helpers from the Far
North Bromeliad group. The gardens

were established on flat land of what

used to be a dairy farm. The creative
revolution that was experienced by
the milking shed you have to have
seen to believe. Inside there is Diana’s

mosaic studio, and behind the shed you
would find an impressive collection of

bromeliads under shade cloth. There
were more rare plants in the shade
house area opposite the milking shed
and the extensive formal garden

was interspersed with bromeliads,

succulents and garden ornaments. The
visitors made good use of the sales
areas; many bargains were adding to
the happy experience.

Our lunch break in Waipu was
serenaded by a pipe band that practised

behind the cafes, a neat coincidence!

Next stop was Diana Holt’s gardens

 

and shade houses. The N.Z. ‘queen
of miniature neoregelia breeding’ has
established an impressive array of
shade houses on a sloping section; one
has to wonder where Diana gets the
energy from to develop all that in the
few years since acquiring her place.
Her cute miniature bromeliads were

the main attraction, but there were
many other plants of interest, Clivia

breeding being the other. A garden

path flanked with bromeliads took

us up to a gorgeous view point over
the countryside. And then there was

another opportunity to buy plants, how

good was that! A big THANK YOU to

both the Smithymans and Diana, we all

enjoyed your gardens!

The South Auckland Bromeliad group
has now resorted to sending out our
‘Newsletter’ by email. It is therefore of
great importance that members let the
committee know their email addresses.

Next meeting: Note: no meeting in
April due to Easter. May 6th – our
AGM at the Drury School hall at
1:30pm. If you are interested in
nominating someone or yourself for
the various positions on the committee

or just want to help, please ring any of

the folks below: Hawi Winter 09-233

4469, Margaret Kitcher 09-235-7235,

Margaret Flanagan 09-232-0429.

Eastern Bay of Plenty Bromeliad
and Orchid Group – Gail Anderson

Ross Fergusson welcomed members
and new members to the meeting held
at Kingsley Scout Hall with 27 in
attendance.

Our guest speaker was Don Brown
from Thames. Don gave us an insight
into the history of billbergias. A good
bromeliad for climbing up trees or
growing on rocks. They are epiphytes

with lovely flowers, but flowers only

last 2-3 weeks. Well worth having in
your garden and best left to clump.

‘Show and Tell’: Elsa McGuigan
bought along an orchid that was dying
off at new growth. Suggestion was
‘maybe too much water’. Maureen
Moffatt bought along some of the
bromeliads she purchased in an ‘online’
auction. Ross Fergusson also bought
bromeliads at the auction. Good banter

between the two, with Ross trying to
find out what Maureen had paid!

COMPETITIONS

• Flowering Bromeliad: – 1st Kevin
Prichard (Tillandsia ‘Wildfire’), 2nd
Sue Laurent (Tillandsia punctulata),
3rd Don Young (unnamed billbergia).
• Foliage: 1st Kevin Prichard (Vriesea
‘Hot Salsa’), 2nd Gail Anderson
(Neoregelia ‘Fosperior Perfection’),
3rd Kevin Prichard (Vriesea ‘Vista’).
• Orchids: 1st Elsa McGuigan, 2nd
Elaine Binns.

• Plant of the Month – Billbergia
1st Gail Anderson (Billbergia ‘Violet
Beauty’), 2nd equal Maureen Moffatt
(Unnamed billbergia and Ross
Fergusson (Billbergia leptopoda).
For information about our group
and meetings coming up please

contact Ross Fergusson 07-312-5487,

Maureen Moffatt 07-322-2276 or Gail
Anderson 07-307-9332.

 

OFFICERS

 

Patron: Patricia Sweeney
President: Diane Timmins 09-415 9066
Vice Presidents: Jocelyn Coyle 09-416 8272
Graeme Barclay 09-817 4153
Secretary: Dave Anderson 09-638 8671
Treasurer: Peter Waters 09-534 5616
Life Members: Dave Anderson, Patricia Perratt,
Patricia Sweeney, Peter Waters

 

Scientific Officer: Peter Waters 09-534 5616
Librarian: Noelene Ritson 09-625 8114
Committee: Bev Ching 09-576 4595
Lester Ching 09-576 4595
Alan Cliffe 09-479 1451
David Cowie 09-630 8220
Pas Southon 09-535 3544
Lucy Timmins 021-078 1102
Editor: Murray Mathieson 09-418 0366

MEMBERSHIP SUBSCRIPTION

 

New Zealand

Ordinary membership NZ $45.00 ($5.00 discount

if paid before the end of February).
Dual membership (same household) NZ $55.00
($5.00 discount applies as above).

Overseas

NZD $45.00. Send all payments to the Treasurer,
Peter Waters, 22 Half Moon Rise, Half Moon Bay,

Auckland 2012.

Paying electronically

Paying via internet banking: Bromeliad Society
account: 03-0227-0071516-00. Please include your
name as reference. Re full contact information for

new members / changes for existing members,

please email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Correspondence

All general correspondence should be sent to the

Secretary, Bromeliad Society of New Zealand,

P.O. Box 108-168, Symonds Street, Auckland,
New Zealand. The opinions expressed in letters

or articles in the Journal are the contributors’ own

views and do not necessarily express the views or
policy of the Bromeliad Society of New Zealand
Inc.

Society Website

www.bsnz.org – For past Journal archive –

growing tips – articles – sales information

BROMELIAD JOURNAL

Editorial Committee

Dave Anderson
Murray Mathieson
Peter Waters

Production

Murray Mathieson

Distribution

Dave Anderson

All enquiries and contributions welcome,

please contact any member of the editorial

committee or send to Peter Waters, 22 Half Moon
Rise, Half Moon Bay, Auckland 2012 or email:

This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Deadline

For all editorial and advertising, the first

Tuesday of publication month

Display Advertising

Rates are:
Full Page $60.00
Half Page $30.00
Quarter Page $15.00

‘Buy & Swap’

Listings in ‘Buy & Swap’ are FREE for members
of the Society (max. 30 words).
For advertising enquiries and material, please
contact Murray Mathieson ph (09) 418 0366

or email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

 

Eden Garden in autumn… looking great!

– Photos by Lucy Timmins
‘Thank you’ from our Eden Garden
organiser – Isla McGowan

I would like to say a huge ‘thank you’
to the fellow gardeners who have
supported me at Eden Garden since we
started our regular monthly ‘working
bees’ 3-4 years ago. The Bromeliad
Glade at Eden Garden is a challenging
but really rewarding site. It had been

neglected for some time but now,
thanks to the regular attention, it’s

looking so much better. It’s great to

have the knowledge, experience and
enthusiasm of Diane, Lynette, Lucy,
Joan and Margaret – you are all much

appreciated.

Also, to the people who have donated

plants to Eden Garden ‘thank you’ too.

We always find a home for the new

arrivals. I am pleased to report that we
had some new helpers joining us – Pas
and Angela were there to assist us in
March. All help is very welcome!
Isla.

 

The gorgeous helpers at Eden Garden…
Di, Isla, Lynette, Joan, Pas and Angela.
23

Eden Garden
in autumn…
‘At home’ in
Eden Garden…

– Photo and note by Diane Timmins
Vriesea guttata

Perched on the branch of a bay
tree in the bromeliad glade at Eden

Garden, is a clump of Vriesea
guttata. When viewed from below
It offers attractive foliage of olive
green leaves speckled with brown

spots. As a bonus, every year this

clump sends out a spectacular
long lasting display of pendulous

yellow flowers emitting from a
pastel pink inflorescence. A native
of Brazil, it is a hardy plant, which

is a desirable addition to any
collection.

Vriesea guttata

 

 

Read more ...

Details

Written by BSNZ Admin

‘KIWI BROMS’ CONFERENCE CORNER – APRIL 2021
April Facebook Plant Sale & Auction Report
– Graeme Barclay
I am thrilled to report our very first Facebook Plant Sale and Auction held on the ‘Kiwi Trade A Bromeliad’ Facebook page in early April was a great success. It ran for a whole week, with around 25 plants up for grabs, most of them very desirable auction plants. Some plants went for bargains, while others fetched amazingly high
OUR GOAL $21,000

prices – just goes to show it’s definitely worth checking out, for buyers and sellers alike.
I was also pleased to see a number of new members getting involved and plants going to interesting places such as Westport in the South Island! All of the sellers donated 100% of their takings to the ‘Conference Fund’, so I’m delighted to announce we made $1,910, certainly well worth the effort. A big thanks to all those who participated, we will certainly be running this type of event again in future.
 
Fundraising Update
Our plant sales and silent auctions of donated plants at monthly meetings continues to run very nicely and contribute a steady trickle into the fund each month. Since the last ‘Conference Corner’ report (written in early March when the fundraising total was $6,111), we have added another $221 in plant sales from our March and April Auckland meetings. This, along with the $1,910 from the above Facebook Sale and Auction, means we can add $2,131 to the $6,111, giving us a grand total of $8,242 raised so far. Given we have only been fundraising for ‘Kiwi Broms’ for only ten months, this is a fantastic result and means we are well on track to ensure the conference costs and the registration fees will be under control. Keep up the great work and see you in a couple of months.  
2
Bromeliad Society of New Zealand Inc
Bromeliad Journal – May 2018 issue
CONTENTS
Conference Corner 2021 – Graeme Barclay     2
President’s Page – Diane Timmins     4
Bromeliad Society March meeting news – Dave Anderson     5
Plant of the Month – Diane Timmins     7
‘New from New Zealand’ – Graeme Barclay     8
Pre-winter chores in the garden and greenhouse – Gerry Stansfield     9
Bromeliad and cold – preparing for winter – Dave Anderson     10
Society officers, subs and Journal directory     11
‘Special Species Spotlight’ – Graeme Barclay     12
A swampy anteater – Diane Timmins     14
Group News     15
Diana Holt. The journey of a successful NZ hybridiser – Diane Timmins     18

The opinions expressed in articles or letters in this Journal are the contributors’ own views and do not necessarily express the views or the policy of the Bromeliad Society of New Zealand.

COMING EVENTS
Please see the Group News section on page 15 for details of meeting times and venues.
MAY
22nd Society     monthly     meeting     at Greyfriars Hall, corner of Mt Eden and Windmill roads, starting at 7.30pm. The monthly choice competition is Bigeneric bromeliads. Hawi Winter will have a PowerPoint presentation on how we can best protect our plants in winter.
27th Northland     Bromeliad     Group meeting
JUNE
3rd     South Auckland Group meeting
10th Tillandsia Group Auckland meeting
13th Bay of Plenty Group meeting
26th Society     monthly     meeting     at Greyfriars Hall, corner of Mt Eden and Windmill roads, starting at 7.30pm. The monthly choice competition: Bromeliad arrangements. We will enjoy our annual mid-winter supper (please bring a plate) and our Society plant auction.

Front Cover: Eye catching! The beautiful, glossy purple petals of Billbergia brasiliensis. Photo by Graeme Barclay. This clone was formerly known as Billbergia kuhlmannii. It is a variable species from eastern Brazil and is part of the helicodea group of billbergias, which have the ‘watch spring’ tightly recoiled flower petals.
3
PRESIDENT’S PAGE
We’ve had a fabulous couple of months of meetings. In March we had our talented Peter Coyle sharing his tips on how he gets the best out of hybridising what, until now, I think has been the under-appreciated Billbergia genus. I think the beautiful hybrids he has coming up are inspiring to those of us who may have rather overlooked this vibrant genus.
In April we had our lovely Diana Holt with her range of neoregelia mini and midi creations.
Thanks to you both. Your enthusiasm, patience and thoughtful planning over many years has proved valuable and inspiring for Society members and of course we get to enjoy the fabulous hybrids you produce.
Our April meeting had a sales table laden with a range of exciting plants and our monthly competition tables covered a wonderful array of plants. Thanks to everyone who participated in selling, buying, and competing. It takes a broad variety of participants and contributions to produce a meeting environment that is fun for all who attend.
Please keep in mind that, at the end of every monthly meeting when it comes to the time, we can buy plants off the sales table. Every person is allowed to choose one plant to start with. After everyone has made their choice, we open up the selling and members may then purchase as many plants as they like from the sales table. This allows us all the opportunity to have a fair choice.
And thanks to everyone who answered
4
Bromeliad Society April
the call in the last Journal and brought     Meeting News – Notes and photos by Dave Anderson
along their small change to the meeting.


It was much appreciated at our busy raffle and sales tables, as well as the door.
We’re at the tail end of autumn now. It’s a good time of year to start thinking about how we’re going to protect our plants over the winter months. Hawi Winter will talking to us on this subject and leading the discussion at our May meeting.
Hawi’s talks are always entertaining and informative, and especially so on this subject – for starters, his surname gives him immediate authority! Hawi’s property is located in Tuakau, south of Auckland, meaning he has ‘hands on’ experience dealing with exposure to winter elements and the combination of wet and very cold that broms detest.
resident Diane chaired the meeting and welcomed everyone including one visitor. She mentioned that Ayrlies Garden at Whitford, an internationally recognised garden, will be open to the public on the 11th and 12th of May – entry fee $10.00. The recent bromeliad sale on Facebook netted over $1,900.00 for the ‘Kiwi Broms’ 2021 Australasian Conference to be held in Auckland. The BSNZ has received brochures for the next Australian Conference to be held at Sea World in 2019. Please enquire if you want one.
Peter Waters then took us through the ‘Show and Tell’ plants. First up was a neoregelia wanting a name. It had been grown in the shade and had green shiny leaves that could not be identified. The owner was told to grow it in much
higher light to colour up the leaves and bring it back when in flower. Next and for display was the species Brocchinia reducta that grows high up on the Tepuis, in South America. It is a carnivorous plant that eats ants. It has waxy leaves and a 700mm long flower spike with small yellow flowers. A medium large plant with reddish coloured leaves was wanting a name but could only be identified as a xNeomea hybrid. Another plant for display was the species Tillandsia zecheri var. cafayatensis, that had originally come from the late Bea Hanson’s collection with no name. It certainly looks like the Argentinian Tillandsia zecheri with its 200mm long leaves and blue flowers.
Diana Holt then gave an interesting talk on breeding neoregelia hybrids.
    Cont’d P6    5
At our April meeting…
Tillandsia crocata – grown by Lynette Nash
                ynette has the knack of growing large numbers of healthy tillandsias from a single plant or clump. Her feeding regime along with providing optimum conditions rewards her with numerous offshoots from the tillandsia plants and clumps. Over time this provides her with material to produce magnificent multiheaded displays of one variety, all originating from a single root stock. These in turn are attached mounted clump of plants with about 80 to carefully chosen and prepared mounts. These The special raffle prize this month went flowers in full bloom. Second equal were mounts are often driftwood of hard woods such
to Lynette Nash. The door prizes went to Marie Howell, Tony Thum and Isla McGowan.
COMPETITIONS
Open Flowering: First Peter Coyle with an Aechmea chantinii. Peter also was second with Aechmea ‘DeLeon’s Chantinii’. These two superbly grown looked quite stunning with their silver banded leaves; both in flower. Also in the competition were Aechmea bracteata (Red Form), longifolia, nudicaulis ‘Paprika’, ‘Pink Rocket’ and Guzmania sanguinea.
Open Foliage: Peter Coyle was first with Vriesea ‘Lucky Star’. Second equal were Peter Coyle with Vriesea ‘Hunua Ranges’ and Jocelyn Coyle with xCanmea ‘Wild Leopard’. In the competition were xCanmea ‘Hunua Ork Queen’; Canistrum ‘Vania Leme’ x Aechmea ‘Pickaniny’ and Vriesea ‘Copper Jewel’.
Tillandsia: Lynette Nash was first with Tillandsia crocata – a beautifully two of Dave Anderson’s plants Tillandsia as pohutakawa, which in turn are water blasted if minasgeraisensis and Tillandsia rubella. needed, sawn and adapted perhaps using screws, Other plants on the table were Tillandsia or sometimes circular perspex feet, to provide an capitata ‘Hondurensis’ and confertifolia. artistic base to attach her tillandsias. The result is a living work of art.
Neoregelia: First Peter Coyle with
Neoregelia ‘Lorena Lector’. Second At the meeting in April a tall display of Tillandsia was John Muddiman with Neoregelia crocata sporting numerous yellow highly fragrant ‘Alcatraz’. Also in the competition flowers was the result after about 5 years of being was Neoregelia ‘Caviar’, ‘Banshee’, attached to the wood.
‘Hannibal Lector’ F2, ‘Punini’, and
‘Tara Beauty’.    Lynette obtained this plant many years ago from the late Bea Hanson – legendary New Zealand Named Monthly Plant (NZ Neoregelia     bromeliad identity and our former patron. Bea had hybrids): First was Diana Holt with     been known to say it was her favourite tillandsia, Neoregelia     ‘Tara     Drama’.     Second     as it flowers every year. was Graeme Barclay with Neoregelia
‘Roseo     Lineata’     x     carcharodon     Tillandsia     crocata     has     been     described ‘Rainbow’. Other plants on the table     as, ‘a true jewel with buttercup yellow were Neoregelia ‘Fancy That’, ‘Hunua     flowers that have one of the sweetest fragrances in the bromeliad world. Bludoo’, ‘Hunua Lagoon’, and ‘Tara     A miniature clump forming plant, with silvery trichrome coated leaves. It thrives Sunset’ x ‘Unravelled’.    mounted on wood or rocks, kept bright, out of full sun and not too wet’.
The Plant of the Month went to Lynette     Lynette keeps her plant in her glasshouse, and has found that high light is necessary Nash with Tillandsia crocata.    to guarantee the best production of flowers annually.
Congratulations to all the winners.
At the March meeting, Lynette brought in two different forms of Tillandsia crocata
6    7
NEXT MEETING: Tues 22nd May.     for us to view – a large form, and a small form.
New from New Zealand
– By Graeme Barclay
This month’s plant is a brand-new midi hybrid from Peter Coyle’s ‘Totara Waters’ stable.
Neoregelia ‘Totara Whenuapai’

Peter Coyle – 2013 | Reg: April 2018
Mature,     small,     compact,     plant’s genetic ancestry will sometimes chubby rosette to 15cm.     combine to produce top results. Peter’s diameter     x     13cm.     high.     new hybrid is a great example of Garnet red inner leaves spotted green     this. Compact form, wide leaves,
with greener outer leaves flushed red.
 
The parentage formula is; Neoregelia ‘Cougar’ x Neoregelia ‘Old Love
Letters’.
 
As we have seen numerous times before in this Kiwi Hybrid series, different physical traits arising from a
stoloniferous clumping and a lustrous centre blush is all eviden,t stemming from deep in the parent’s genetic history. The seed parent (Neoregelia ‘Cougar’), is a very complex Grace Goode hybrid that goes back five generations with at least the following five species involved; lilliputiana, chlorosticta, sarmentosa, ampullacea
(punctatissima) and ‘Fireball’. Then, on the pollen parent side (Neoregelia ‘Old Love Letters’), we add the genes of carolinae, concentrica and chlorosticta again. Many seedlings resulting from this large mix of at least seven species will be undesirable, but occasionally the stars align and we get nice looking offspring with a number of good traits. As can be seen in the photo, Neoregelia ‘Totara Whenuapai’ fits the bill as a colourful, clumping ‘minimidi’, that should also grow well as an epiphyte in good light.
8
Winter approaches…  same old ‘problems’… same old advice!
It’s that time of year again and we can’t do better than repeat some good advice from the late Gerry Stansfield and Dave Anderson that has been printed in the Journal in previous years. Take care of your plants!
Pre-winter chores in the garden  and the greenhouse – Gerry Stansfield
Around about this time we usually that they are quite capable of absorbing give out some advice to our matter from decaying vegetation. newer members and perhaps a reminder to others, about the few things It is well known that carriers such
we should do before the onslaught of the cold winter months. There is one job we must do prior to winter, and it is extremely important to do it now rather than waiting for the usual spring clean up – dead leaf our plants.
Unlike spring and summer, the dead leaves in the winter can and do start to rot and break down. This can very quickly turn to bacteria and viral infection. You might say, ‘How does that happen?’. Well, actually, we do know quite a lot about rotting vegetation. After all, that’s what composting is all about. However, the important difference between composting and dead leaves next to our bromeliads is that in composting we allow the temperature of the compost to rise dramatically which generally kills any pathogenic and viral bacteria, and leaves us with the lovely sweet smelling compost. This does not happen with dead bromeliad leaves! How does this bacteria get into our plants? All bromeliads have trichomes, and we know that these trichomes are there to facilitate the absorption of water from rain and nutrients, and we also know
as animals, insects, mites, aphids, nematodes, mealy bug, scale and the sucking or chewing type of slugs and snails etc, are all potential viral disease carriers, and by chewing and sucking at our plants they can and do pass on forms of infection that can attack the stomata pores of the bromeliad leaves and of course also the stemcells.
By getting rid of the dead leaves we are helping our bromeliads to continue to grow and stay healthy. If you have only a few bromeliad plants, this is not a big job. But if you have a large collection, either in your garden, green house or shade house, then the work should be planned. If your plants are in pots, it is just a matter of lifting the pots, cleaning up the plant and replacing the pot. If you have planted in the ground, perhaps you can do with the help of a kneeler or thick foam pad. We find the kneeler is ideal, and the handles allow you to easily hoist yourself up again. They are usually available from the large hardware stores. Finally, when you have finished it is a good time to lay slug baits.
9

Bromeliad and cold – preparing for

winter – Dave Anderson
T
he northern parts of New Zealand have a climate that allows the growing of a large number of bromeliads outside, all year round. Of course, additional protection needs to be given to those species that cannot withstand the occasional freezing nighttime temperatures through the five to six weeks of mid-winter. Winter in Auckland is typically cold and wet, with cooler nightly temperatures starting in late April and a cold wet July and August.
Historically, through July-August the temperatures in Auckland average about 14ºC high and 7ºC low with the odd frost.  The rainfall for the two months totals 235mm. The northern New Zealand climate with winters usually cool and wet and summers warm and dryish is the opposite of the bromeliad’s natural habitat, which is mainly cool and dry winters and hot, wet summers. Bromeliads, when subjected to frosts (dry cold) where the leaves have actually frozen, will suffer badly with the leaves spotting and turning brown over the following days.
More tender species will just rot out in the centre. Smaller pups attached to the parent plant are quite often protected by the parent plant’s foliage and will keep growing, particularly when the weather turns warmer. Plants that have been subjected to cold rain and wind will initially appear to be growing satisfactorily. However, after a couple of months of the cold, wet weather, plants become debilitated and rot out in the centre. Perhaps the plant’s roots have died, leaving it vulnerable to infection.
10
Several     ways     of     minimising     the damage:
• Remove old and dead leaves that form ideal breeding grounds for fungi also harbouring slugs and snails.
• Wash out all the broken down sludge material that accumulates at the base of leaves and in the centre cup.
• Spray any plants showing signs of fungi infection with a fungicide such as Bravo. NB Do not use copper based fungicides that are poisonous to bromeliads.
• If possible, grow on north to northeast, sloping land that is frost draining.
• Shift the plants into a glasshouse (preferably heated) in the late autumn.
• Use solar sinks such as large rocks, brick and concrete walls that warm up from the sun’s energy during the day and release the energy at night. • Cover the plants with frost cloth (keeping it clear of the foliage) in the early evening if a frost is expected. There are various grades of frost cloth – the heavier the better. Where heavy frosts are likely, cover the plants with corrugated cardboard before placing the frost cloth.
• Use the foliage / canopy of taller plants to ward off frost. Some members grow plants very successfully under citrus trees (hardy to -6°C) through the winter months.
• Grow plants as epiphytes, suspended high off the ground where the temperatures do not drop below freezing.
• Be careful fertilising. Do not use nitrogen fertilisers from midsummer onwards; to avoid lush growth that is damaged in cold weather.
OFFICERS    
Patron:      Patricia Sweeney
President: Diane Timmins 09-415 9066 Vice Presidents: Jocelyn Coyle  09-416 8272
     Graeme Barclay     09-817 4153
Secretary:  Dave Anderson 09-638 8671 Treasurer: Peter Waters  09-534 5616
Life Members:     Dave Anderson, Patricia Perratt,  
     Patricia Sweeney, Peter Waters
Scientific Officer: Peter Waters  
09-534 5616
09-625 8114
09-576 4595
09-576 4595
09-479 1451
09-630 8220
 09-535 3544 021-078 1102

Librarian:
Committee:
 
 
 
 
 
Noelene Ritson
Bev Ching
Lester Ching  
Alan Cliffe  
David Cowie  
Pas Southon
Lucy Timmins


Editor:
Murray Mathieson 09-418 0366

MEMBERSHIP SUBSCRIPTION
New Zealand
Ordinary membership NZ $45.00 ($5.00 discount if paid before the end of February).
Dual membership (same household) NZ $55.00 ($5.00 discount applies as above).
Overseas
NZD $45.00. Send all payments to the Treasurer, Peter Waters, 22 Half Moon Rise, Half Moon Bay, Auckland 2012.
Paying electronically
Paying via internet banking: Bromeliad Society account: 03-0227-0071516-00. Please include your name as reference. Re full contact information for new members / changes for existing members, please email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

BROMELIAD JOURNAL
Correspondence
All general correspondence should be sent to the Secretary, Bromeliad Society of New Zealand, P.O. Box 108-168, Symonds Street, Auckland, New Zealand. The opinions expressed in letters or articles in the Journal are the contributors’ own views and do not necessarily express the views or policy of the Bromeliad Society of New Zealand Inc.
Society Website
www.bsnz.org – For past Journal archive – growing tips – articles – sales information
Editorial Committee Dave Anderson
Murray Mathieson Peter Waters
Production
Murray Mathieson
Distribution
Dave Anderson
All enquiries and contributions welcome,  please contact any member of the editorial  committee or send to Peter Waters, 22 Half Moon Rise, Half Moon Bay, Auckland 2012 or email:  
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Deadline
For all editorial and advertising, the first  Tuesday of publication month
Display Advertising Rates are:
Full Page $60.00
Half Page $30.00
Quarter Page $15.00
‘Buy & Swap’
Listings in ‘Buy & Swap’ are FREE for members of the Society (max. 30 words).  
For advertising enquiries and material, please contact Murray Mathieson ph (09) 418 0366  or email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
11


I recently had another unusual aechmea bloom for the first time, one that will hopefully one day make a ‘comeback’ in our local collections.
Aechmea longifolia

At first glance, one could be forgiven for thinking this species was possibly a very long-leaved form of Aechmea recurvata. The inflorescence is reminiscent of some Ae. recurvata clones and hybrids, but a closer look reveals it is quite different in a number of ways. Aechmea longifolia is part of the Streptocalyx group of aechmeas, which lack petal appendages, have large primary bracts and slightly twisted flowers – (‘strepto’ = twisted, ‘calyx’ = flower). For over a hundred years it was known as Streptocalyx longifolius, then Smith and Spencer reduced the genus Streptopcalyx into Aechmea in 1992, hence publishing the name Aechmea longifolia. It was first collected in French Guiana in 1805 and was known as Bromelia longifolia, before Baker transferred it to Streptocalyx in 1889. It was eventually found to be a reasonably widespread species, located in most countries bordering the Amazon basin, as well as north-eastern Brazil. It mainly grows as an epiphyte between 100 and 1200 metres elevation, but has also been reported growing on rotting logs, terrestrially and sometimes also atop or near large ant nests.
Aechmea longifolia was once in cultivation here in New Zealand some years ago, but unfortunately appears to have been lost in local collections, no doubt due to our inadequate low temperature growing conditions. Being from low land Amazonia, like most other Streptocalyx sub genus species they do not enjoy cold and wet winter environments. If you do still have a plant growing, please let me know, as it may well be a different clone to mine, due to its large geographic distribution.
to produce several pups, with the main mother plant finally blooming after two and half years growth. As the name ‘longifolia’ suggests, it can have leaves well over a metre long, especially when grown in shade, but in high light they are shorter to around 50cm-60cm and will often attain a rusty-red colour. Otherwise, the leaves are a scurfy olive-green with highly serrated margins and are also noticeably stiff and brittle. One
must be careful when positioning and moving it around to prevent unsightly leaf breakages. Interestingly, this species does not form a central tank. Water is impounded solely in the tight leaf sheath structures. The unusual inflorescence is a tight globe around the size of a tennis ball, protruding stem-less from the rosette in bracts of light pink and green.
 
I intend to try a large pup from my clump mounted as an epiphyte in a warm and sunny position in our bush garden this spring. Given its vigorous growth habit and ability to produce pups, hopefully with suitable protection it will survive and form an established clump over time. I parted with a first pup at our ‘Fiesta’ sale this year. Look out for Aechmea longifolia in future if you’d like to grow something a little more exotic.
I grew my clump hanging in a pot high up in the warm greenhouse (winter heated to 8 degrees overnight minimum) where it grew well without any issues. With plenty of light, water and fertiliser, it quickly began

12    13

A swampy anteater…
– Diane Timmins
Brocchinia reducta
I
t appears bromeliads are naturally However, only three bromeliads predisposed to developing possess the specific ability to attract, carnivory habits. All tank retain, digest and absorb insect prey. bromeliads trap insects that randomly
fall into them, as well as bird droppings and leaf litter. This supplements the food requirement of epiphytes that may use their roots primarily as anchors rather than to absorb nutriment.
These are Brocchinia hechtiodes, Brocchinia reducta, and Catopsis berteroniana.
Graeme Barclay brought Brocchinia
reducta to the April general meeting of the BSNZ for us to see.
Originating in the nutrient poor highlands of South America, the carnivorous bromeliads have an upright form, holding water in the centre and leaf axils, and are coloured a conspicuous yellow when exposed to the high light of their natural environment. It is thought the leaves exude a sweet secretion. This colourful fragrant flower shaped structure attracts the bugs. The leaf surface is waxy and very slippery. The insect falls into the well, drowning and eventually breaking down into a nutrient soup that is directly absorbed into the bromeliad leaves.
By the way, if you ever do traverse the desolate summits of the tablelands of Venezuela, beware of the metre high form of Brocchinia hectiodes. Its tubular form has a tight opening and a bulbous base. We wouldn’t want any curious kids disappearing into its belly!
Brocchinia reducta – PHOTO DIANE TIMMINS
14
Group News
Northland Bromeliad Group – Nancy Peters
Our April meeting was held at the home of Adriana and Chris Hendel in Onerahi. Their extensive garden and amazing variety of bromeliads was at the top of a cliff overlooking the entrance to Whangarei inner harbour and faced south and west, giving lovely views.
Our meeting started late because so many members were reluctant to sit down when there was such an interesting and varied garden to explore. The Hendel’s garden is bordered on the south by native bush under-planted with bromeliads and with tracks leading down the cliff. Graeme Smithyman thanked the Hendels for their hospitality and welcomed 29 members, plus 4 members of the Onerahi Garden Club and Iris Simons from the Orchid Club.
After our meeting we travelled around the corner to where Laura Maton welcomed us to her very neat garden and splendid assortment of well positioned bromeliads.
April ‘Show and Tell’ competition winners: 1st Sue Hunter – Quesnelia ‘Tim Plowman’, 2nd Lynsie McMahon – Guzmania ‘Etude’, 3rd Pat Vendt – Billbergia ‘Beadleman’ x Billbergia ‘Nita’
Next meeting: Sunday May 27th at 1.30pm at Don Nicholson’s garden, 42 Kamo Road, Whangarei.
Bay of Plenty Bromeliad Group – Jo Elder
A committee meeting preceded our main meeting on April 10th.
Subscriptions are due and there are still some who are yet to pay. Please check up.
The Orchid Show will be 28th – 30th September and we will have a table.
Geoff Deighton mentioned that the Te Puna Quarry Park gardens are looking wonderful and encouraged people to visit. Volunteer helpers for the bromeliad area are made very welcome on Tuesday mornings. Please BYO gardening tools.
Annual Plant Competition Results: We presented prizes to the winners of our annual monthly competitions, for 2017/18 as follows:
Tillandsia:1st     Kevin     Pritchard, 2nd Audrey Hewson, 3rd Jo Elder.
Open:     1st     Dean     Morman,     2nd
Jo Elder, 3rd Kevin Pritchard. Plant of the Month: 1st Dean Morman, 2nd Kevin Pritchard, 3rd Gill Keesing.
Richard Hart, a landscape designer with a special interest in native plants, was our guest speaker. He spoke about Roberto Burle-Marx and his contribution to landscape planning in Brazil, with his use of native plants viz, bromeliads in that part of the world. The planned city of Brasilia has many examples of Burle-Marx’s work and Richard showed many outstanding photos of his visit to a vast garden. The
Cont’d P16 15

Cont’d from P15 – Group News
mass plantings of bromeliads, and the layering of plants up in the trees were a feast to our eyes. The garden is in a remote area and security was very tight.
Richard then spoke of native plants in NZ and showed photos of local plantings.
‘Show and Tell’: Dean Morman had brought along a magnificent plant of Aechmea blanchetiana. He grows it in full sun in his Papamoa garden.
Competition Results for April:
Plant of the month (Aechmea): 1st
Dean Morman with Aechmea fasciata ‘Sangria’, 2nd Dean Morman with
Aechmea nudicaulis var. aequalis and 3rd Colin Sutherland with Aechmea ‘Blue Rain’.
Open: 1st Dean Morman with Vriesea ‘Disco Jubilee’, 2nd Colin Sutherland with a very nice guzmania and 3rd Dean Morman with Vriesea ‘Misty Sunday’. Tillandsia: 1st Audrey Hewson with a lovely specimen of Tillandsia tectorum and 2nd also Audrey with Tillandsia ionantha.
Next meeting: 13th June. Bromeliad Society of New Zealand president, Diane Timmins, will speak about vrieseas. The plant of the month will be large vrieseas.

Eastern Bay of Plenty Bromeliad and Orchid Group – Gail Anderson
Our meeting was at Kingsley Scout hall where Ross Fergusson welcomed 27 members including new members Pam and Rick.
16
With winter approaching Ross talked about the need to protect our bromeliads from frost with ‘Vaporgard’ or cover with frost cloth. A big thanks to Robyn Julian who helped Ross and Gail repot
club plants and get them ready for the Ohope market.
Barbara Rogers spoke about attaching tillandsias on pongas or trees. Sue had a quirky idea of hanging ixioides in a hand whisk in a tree. Ross had 3 large broms that had been planted out in seed pots showing that they will survive with neglect.
 
Competitions:
Plant of the Month (Nidularium): 1st equal Alison Iremonger – Nidularium rutilans     and     Gail     Anderson     – Nidularium fulgens; 2nd Ross Fergusson – Nidularium innocentii.
Open Flower: 1st Ross Fergusson – Nidularium longiflorum; 2nd Gail Anderson – Nidularium innocentii var. lineatum; 3rd Alison Iremonger – an unnamed guzmania.
 
Open Foliage: 1st Gail Anderson – Neoregelia ‘Totara Twist’; 2nd equal Ross Fergusson – Neoregelia ‘Predator’ and Alison Iremonger – Neoregelia concentrica.
 
Tillandsia: Gail Anderson – Tillandsia
ixioides; 2nd equal Ken Laurent – Tillandsia multicaulis and Gail Fergusson – Tillandsia grandis; 3rd Alison Iremonger – Tillandsia stricta.
Orchids: 1st Alison Iremonger with ‘Dancing Lady’; 2nd Ken Laurent plant name unknown.
 
For group and meeting information, please contact Ross Fergusson 07-312 5487, Maureen Moffatt at 07-322 2276 or Gail Anderson 07- 307 9332.

South Auckland Bromeliad Group
– Hawi Winter
 
Our May AGM meeting was our first in the Drury School Hall for 2018. The proceedings were extremely well prepared by President Nancy Murphy. We honoured late members with a minute of silence and honoured our patron Norma Cook. The election results: President: N. Murphy, Vice President: H. Winter, Secretary: B. Sherson, Treasurer: M. Kitcher. Committee members: M. Flanagan, K. Carter, B. Green, S. van Rynbach, H. Sammons.
A donation of $ 250.00 was decided to support the BSNZ’s 2021 ‘Kiwi Broms’ conference fund
Our annual sale will most likely require a new venue due to on-going extensive building activities at the Botanic Gardens. The committee is searching. The speaker of the day was Hawi Winter on ‘Keeping bromeliads happy during winter’.
Raffle winners: A. Thompson, J. Muddiman, B. Johnston, H. Sammons, H. Geange
‘Skite table’ winners: J. Muddiman
4 pts, J. Mitchell 4 pts, M. Flanagan 3 pts, N. Cook 3 pts, R. Masar 1 pt.
Next meeting: June 3rd in the Drury School Hall at 1:30pm. Nancy Murphy will give a presentation on her recent visit to India – and how they grow bromeliads there
Tillandsia Group Auckland – Margaret Flanagan
Our April afternoon meeting at Isobel and Dave Dawson’s was held on a
beautiful autumnal day. We were assailed with an amazing collection of plants of all kinds, from cacti to subtropicals and lots of tillandsias. Dave keeps them in glasshouses as well as outside. Down by the edge of the estuary is a tree festooned with Tillandsia bergeri, all looking extremely healthy.
The plant of the month was tillandsias that began with the letter ‘M’. Several members bought plants to show. Of notable interest were two Tillandsia macbrideana     clumps,     one     grown vertically,     and     the     other     grown horizontally.     The     difference     was surprising, with the horizontal one having lots more offshoots and hence more flowering potential.
Other tillandsias that were shown included plants that were flowering, and they looked amazing as flowering tillandsias tend to be. Thank you for sharing your plants with us.
Thank you Bev for a brilliant afternoon tea. We didn’t need dinner that night!
Next meeting: June 10th at Robert and Margaret Flanagan’s place at 15 Wright
Road, Waiau Pa.
The monthly plant will be tillandsia species and hybrids beginning with the letter ‘N’.
17

Diana Holt. The journey of a successful New Zealand hybridiser…
At our Society monthly meeting in Auckland in April, Diana Holt gave us a fascinating talk on her impressive work with Neoregelia hybridising… how she got started and the things that inspire her to keep producing great plants. Here we have abbreviated notes from her talk which we hope will capture the essence of her approach and her passion. Thanks Diana.

This evening my talk is about the fascinating hobby of hybridising, specifically neoregelias. I joined our Society in 1996, and yet after 22 years I feel I’m still just on the brink of really learning about this genus when it comes to hybridising. I started experimenting around 2002 to 2004 with growing from seed back when the Society ran its own formal Seed Bank (all species). Even then, it was in the back of my mind to develop my own plants, especially the minis, after seeing the little beauties in Australia.
In 2006 I started with my first batch – not minis but what I call my ‘Knight’ series using Neoregelia ‘Oeser’s Black Knight’ within the parentage of which I registered three.
• Neoregelia ‘Knight Desire’
• Neoregelia ‘Knight Chalice’
• Neoregelia ‘Knight Sprite’
There are always questions in my mind. Before I started down the track of hybridising and when Neoregelia ‘Cayenne’ was really popular, (‘Cayenne’ being a cross ‘Fireball’ x ampullacea) there was another plant around just called ampullacea
18
x ‘Fireball’ and it looked exactly like ‘Cayenne’. I was looking closely at the parentage and names, making up lists from the BSI register of growers like Grace Goode and what they were using.
Anyway, I questioned ‘Cayenne’ and the other plant with reversed name and I was told they were the same, even if the names were reversed. More recently, Hawi Winter asked, at a meeting I was at, if one crosses A with B, would a reverse cross of B with A produce the same plant? Responses were mixed but the consensus was, ‘yes, of course it would be’.
With specific crosses this obviously takes a few years to clarify and confirm. I recognise that I need to spend more time looking at this subject in detail.
We often hear of people buying a plant and then being disappointed that it does not grow or look as nice as the original. So many factors can create this, so don’t get disappointed, move your plant around to see if you can put it in higher light, no food, shade etc. Of course, sometimes, no matter what you do, the plant itself does seem to decide to just grow differently!

Although, through my hybridising,
I have made some plants I really love, I know I still have much to learn. Much of this learning will come from the hard work and often the disappointment which comes from trial and error.
I read in the recent BSI Journal that Grace Goode regretted not starting hybridising until she was in her early 50’s and then she kept going to her mid 80’s. That amounts to 30 years of learning and producing many masterpieces that we admire so much now.
At the ‘Sunny Broms’ conference in Aussie last year, leading hybridiser Chester Skotak was asked if he thought he had reached the pinnacle of what he could do. He was quick to respond that, ‘there is always so much more to do and I think I could just about go on for ever making new plants’. Wow!
So, I am determined to keep striving, to learn everything I can, to observe and share the love of these beautiful plants.
Thank you.
More photos on P20    19

More photos of Diana’s hybrids…
PHOTOS AGATHA LEE-LAMBERT
? Diversity... three different looking plants from the same cross: N. ‘Grace’s Avalanche’ x N. smithii
    N. ‘Grace’s Avalanche’ x N. smithii    N. ‘Grace’s Avalanche’ x N. smithii

20

 

 

Read more ...

Details

Written by BSNZ Admin

April 2018VOL 58 NO 4
Pas and Jim Southon’s ‘Howick garden’.
Photo Lucy Timmins.

New from New Zealand
– By Graeme Barclay
We have a new Kiwi hybridiser on the block, now revealing some of his

excellent hybrids for the first time.

Neoregelia ‘Tenebrae’

John Blanch – 2010 | Reg: January 2018

Mature, open rosette to 40cm.
diameter x 20cm high. Vivid,
glossy burgundy leaves
with cream spots. Upper-side foliage
darkens towards the tips and spots
turn red. Cream spots / splotching are
denser on the foliage reverse.

The parentage formula is Neoregelia
‘Gold Fever’ x Neoregelia ‘Dexter’s
Pride’.

 

John brought this plant to our Society
January meeting in Auckland, where
it made an instant impact and placed
second in the competition. The two

parents used could be classified as

‘classic’ neoregelias, that have both
been used in many subsequent hybrids
by various breeders. Neoregelia ‘Gold
Fever’ is well known for passing on
its ‘spotting’ traits, while Neoregelia
‘Dexter’s Pride’ is an excellent
transmitter of its ‘dark’ genes, often

producing progeny with very
dark red or purple tones in
the leaves. John used Neo.
‘Dexter’s Pride’ in a few
different crosses when he began
hybridising in 2010 and many
of them like the subject here
have produced attractive, dark
leaves and interesting patterns.
Some of John’s best dark
plants are being named after
Italian gory ‘Giallo’ movies
from the 1960-80s because of
their blood-red colouring. In
this case, the name ‘Tenebrae’
refers to Dario Argento’s 1982
movie – a favourite of John’s.
Neoregelia ‘Tenebrae’ is an
excellent garden candidate
that requires good light to keep
it looking great.

 

Bromeliad Society of New Zealand Inc

Bromeliad Journal – April 2018 issue

 

CONTENTS
‘New from New Zealand’ – Graeme Barclay 2
President’s Page – Diane Timmins 4
Bromeliad Society March meeting news – Dave Anderson 5
Winning plants from our March meeting 7
Plant of the Month (two winners share the award!) – Diane Timmins 9
Much loved Billbergia ‘Halleluja’ – Diane Timmins 10
Garden visit… Pas and Jim Southon – Diane Timmins 11
Mounting bromeliads – Bryan Paten 14
The best-laid schemes – Robert Kopfstein 15
Coming up soon at Society monthly meetings 15
Group News 16
‘Special Species Spotlight’ – Graeme Barclay 18
In Lynette Nash’s lovely garden – Diane Timmins 20

The opinions expressed in articles or letters in this Journal are the contributors’ own views and
do not necessarily express the views or the policy of the Bromeliad Society of New Zealand.

COMING EVENTS

Please see the Group News section on page 16 for details of meeting times and
venues.

APRIL MAY
22nd Northland Group meeting. 6th South Auckland Group AGM at
24th Society monthly meeting at Drury School Hall at 1.30pm.
Greyfriars Hall, corner of Mt Eden and 9th Bay of Plenty Group meeting.
Windmill roads, starting at 7.30pm. The 22nd Society monthly meeting at
monthly choice competition is New Greyfriars Hall, corner of Mt Eden and
Zealand neoregelia hybrids and Diana Windmill roads, starting at 7.30pm. The
Holt will also be talking on the same monthly choice competition is Bigeneric
topic. bromeliads. Our discussion topic will be

how to best protect our plants from tough

weather conditions, including frost.

Front Cover: In the Howick garden of Pas and Jim Southon. More great photos
starting on page 11. Photo by Lucy Timmins.

 

PRESIDENT’S PAGE

Ihope everyone has enjoyed the last
year as much as I have. From the
Bromeliad Society of New Zealand
perspective, we’ve had a very successful
year. Our membership numbers remain
around 300 with members not only in
Auckland, but also nationwide and
overseas.

This is pleasing after historical trends
had been a steady increase over past
decades due to increased bromeliad
awareness (some may even say a fad),
followed by a relative decline year
by year. But I think we have reached
a comfortable plateau whereby our
BSNZ numbers of new members, and
natural attrition pretty much even out.
We have great satellite interest groups
and overall there are good numbers of
bromeliad enthusiasts.

The popularity of our Society, in
particular on a worldwide scale, is in
part a tribute to the fabulous monthly
Bromeliad Journal we produce.
The overall monthly production is
coordinated by our editorial team, led by
editor Murray Mathieson. Our sparkling
layouts are the work of our graphic
designer Kris Hoh. When our excellent
printer of many years – Hummingbird
Print – closed their doors during the

past year we were fortunate to find our

new printer – PDQ Print – and they
have easily transitioned into the role of
producing a quality publication every
month.

Over the past year at our general
meetings we’ve enjoyed inspiring
and informative talks and organised
fundraising auctions. There have been
fabulous displays on our monthly

competition tables with people bringing
in ‘beauties’ from their collections and
gardens, including fascinating plants
that are ‘one offs’ – being either recent
imports, or brand new hybrids from our
own local growers.

We’ve hosted a successful ‘Spring Sale’,
and our annual Bromeliad ‘Fiesta’ show
competition and important sale. The
competition plants were of outstanding
variety and quality, and sales were high,

reflecting quality plants and general

enthusiasm in the bromeliad world.
Fundraising for the BSNZ was healthy
as the committee has implemented new
policies to help offset some of the high
running costs of putting on a show.
These proved to be very successful.

Garden tours in west Auckland and
east Auckland, and our long-running
‘Broms in the Park’ event have given us
all the chance to gather inspiration from
others and enjoy and experience broms
growing in a wide variety of situations.

This year we announced that we will
be hosting the 2021 Australasian
Bromeliad Conference in Auckland.
Although promotional activity will be
minimal until after the 2019 conference,
fundraising is already off to a great start.

In conclusion I’d like to say a big thank
you to our hard working committee
and to everyone that has made all these
things happen. Our numerous willing
helpers assist in so many ways, allowing
us to get maximum enjoyment from our
beautiful broms.

Diane Timmins

 

OFFICERS

 

Patron: Patricia Sweeney
President: Diane Timmins 09-415 9066
Vice Presidents: Jocelyn Coyle 09-416 8272
Graeme Barclay 09-817 4153
Secretary: Dave Anderson 09-638 8671
Treasurer: Peter Waters 09-534 5616
Life Members: Dave Anderson, Patricia Perratt,
Patricia Sweeney, Peter Waters

 

Scientific Officer: Peter Waters 09-534 5616
Librarian: Noelene Ritson 09-625 8114
Committee: Bev Ching 09-576 4595
Lester Ching 09-576 4595
Alan Cliffe 09-479 1451
David Cowie 09-630 8220
Pas Southon 09-535 3544
Lucy Timmins 021-078 1102
Editor: Murray Mathieson 09-418 0366

MEMBERSHIP SUBSCRIPTION

 

New Zealand

Ordinary membership NZ $45.00 ($5.00 discount
if paid before the end of February).
Dual membership (same household) NZ $55.00
($5.00 discount applies as above).

Overseas

NZD $45.00. Send all payments to the Treasurer,
Peter Waters, 22 Half Moon Rise, Half Moon Bay,
Auckland 2012.

Paying electronically

Paying via internet banking: Bromeliad Society
account: 03-0227-0071516-00. Please include your
name as reference. Re full contact information for
new members / changes for existing members,
please email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Correspondence

All general correspondence should be sent to the
Secretary, Bromeliad Society of New Zealand,

P.O. Box 108-168, Symonds Street, Auckland,
New Zealand. The opinions expressed in letters
or articles in the Journal are the contributors’ own
views and do not necessarily express the views or
policy of the Bromeliad Society of New Zealand
Inc.
Society Website

www.bsnz.org – For past Journal archive –
growing tips – articles – sales information

BROMELIAD JOURNAL

Editorial Committee

Dave Anderson
Murray Mathieson
Peter Waters

Production

Murray Mathieson

Distribution

Dave Anderson
All enquiries and contributions welcome,
please contact any member of the editorial
committee or send to Peter Waters, 22 Half Moon
Rise, Half Moon Bay, Auckland 2012 or email:
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Deadline

For all editorial and advertising, the first

Tuesday of publication month

Display Advertising

Rates are:
Full Page $60.00
Half Page $30.00
Quarter Page $15.00

‘Buy & Swap’

Listings in ‘Buy & Swap’ are FREE for members
of the Society (max. 30 words).
For advertising enquiries and material, please
contact Murray Mathieson ph (09) 418 0366
or email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

 

Bromeliad Society March

Meeting News – Notes by Dave Anderson

Our AGM in March was well
attended. President Diane
Timmins read her annual
report before taking nominations for
the executive and committee – see the
elected members in this Journal. The
general monthly meeting followed the
AGM.

The monthly meeting started with
Peter Waters handling the ‘Show and
Tell’ table. First up was a plant named
Aechmea orlandiana – green with dark
patterned leaves. The owner wanted to
know if the name was correct. Peter
said possibly it was correct as there are
many different clones of this species,
all with various patterned and coloured
leaves. Please bring it back again when

it flowers. Next a very green lanky

leafed plant and the owner wanting
to know if it was a billbergia. As the
few leaves were very green and long,

it was difficult to tell what it is. Please

grow it in much brighter light and
again bring it back. For display were
two different clumps of the fragrant
species Tillandsia crocata – both in

full flower. One clump had plants that

were all much smaller than the plants
in the other clump.

Peter Coyle then gave us an informative
talk on billbergia hybrids.

The special raffle prize went to David

Cowie. The door prizes going to Fleur
Phillips, Deanna Peralta and Precy
Cefre.

COMPETITIONS

• Open Flowering: First was Graeme
Barclay with Hohenbergia flava – an
attractive species with yellow flowers.

Second was John Mitchell with
xHohenmea ‘Karamea Shannara’.
In the competition were Brocchinia
reducta; Guzmania ‘Tricolor’;
Vriesea ‘Phillip’ and xVrieslandsia
‘Marichelle’.

• Open Foliage: First was Graeme
Barclay with Canistrum ‘Vania Leme’
hybrid – a very attractive plant with
green leaves and dark bands. Judy
Graham was second with xCanmea
‘Hunua Ork Prince’. In the competition
were Vriesea ‘Dark Knight’ x
‘Snowman’ and ‘Hunua Twilight’.
• Tillandsia: Peter Coyle’s Tillandsia
jaliscomonticola was first and second
was Lynette Nash with a large flowering
clump of Tillandsia mallemontii. On
the table were two Tillandsia stricta –
both in flower and Tillandsia ‘Victor
Hugo’.

• Neoregelia: First was Graeme
Barclay with Neoregelia ‘Groves
Red Tiger’ – a most attractive highly
coloured plant that was an equal
winner of plant of the month. Equal
second were Peter Coyle with the
plant Neoregelia ‘Groucho’ and Judy
Graham with Neoregelia ‘Burnsie’s
Spiral’. In the competition were
Neoregelia lilliputiana x (‘Tiger Cub’
x ‘Oesers Black Knight’), ‘Lovesick’,
‘Plum Sauce’ and ‘Tara Gold’ x ‘Ed
Prince’.
• Monthly Choice – Billbergias: First
was Judy Graham with Billbergia

‘Domingos Martins’– a superbly well
grown species that was an equal winner
of plant of the month. Peter Coyle was
second with Billbergia ‘Darth Vader’.
The other plants in the competition were
Billbergia ‘Hallelujah’, ‘Hallelujah’
x ‘Domingos Martins’, ‘Hallelujah’
x ‘Hazey Purple’, stenopetala and
vittata x ‘Domingos Martins’.

• The ‘Plant of the Month’ went to two
plants – Judy Graham with Billbergia
‘Domingos Martins’ and Graeme
Barclay with Neoregelia ‘Groves Red
Tiger’.
Congratulations to all the winners.
NEXT MEETING: Tues 24th April.

April meeting: We have our own
fabulous Diana Holt – renowned
hybridist – giving us a talk on
neoregelia hybrids at our April 24th
meeting.

We need your loose change please!
Too many notes cause a problem for
giving change. Lots of small coins for

door entry, raffle, pots and fertiliser

will really help.

Winning plants from our March meeting…

Photos by Dave Anderson
First in Open Flowering section:
Hohenbergia flava (Graeme Barclay)
First in Tillandsia section:
Tillandsia jaliscomonticola (Peter Coyle)
More photos on P8

 

More outstanding plants from our March meeting…
Billbergia ‘Darth Vader’
(Peter Coyle)
First in Open Foliage section:
Canistrum ‘Vania Leme’ (Graeme Barclay)
Neoregelia ‘Burnsie’s Spiral’
(Judy Graham)
Tillandsia mallemontii
(Lynette Nash) Neoregelia ‘Groucho’ (Peter Coyle)

At our March meeting we had two joint winners…

• Billbergia ‘Domingos Martins’ – grown by Judy Graham
Bob Whitman originally collected this
plant from the wild in Brazil in the 1980s
and named it as a new species after the
town nearest to where it was found. Later it
was determined to be a cultivar of Billbergia
vittata and it was reclassified as such in 1995.

It has the unique appearance of having
an upright tube of few leaves, which are
deep green to black with clear white areas
throughout, but largest towards the base. It
has heavy black spines, and the typical showy

inflorescence, more slender than vittata.

Judy’s multiheaded plant, grown beautifully

and sporting a colourful flower, won her the

joint winning spot.

• Neoregelia ‘Groves Red Tiger’ – grown by Graeme Barclay
Grant Groves developed a love for bromeliads at an early age. His experience
managing Bert Foster’s nursery until it closed, and now his own tropical nursery
has been the inspiration for developing numerous wonderful neoregelia and
guzmania hybrids for the interiorscape trade in Florida USA.

One of these is Neoregelia ‘Grove’s Red Tiger’. The parents are thought to be
Neoregelia ‘Omato’ and Neoregelia ‘Skotak’s Tiger’ and the resulting plant has

 

9
appealing glossy leaves with a reddish blush and deep red banding on both sides,
accompanied by large dark spines.
Although this plant would be suitable
to grow outdoors here, Graeme
grows his plant in the shadehouse to
get the most out of the very glossy
leaves. Otherwise the blush might
be vulnerable to becoming washed
out in extreme outdoor conditions.
The resulting plant is large and eye
catching. Another worthy winner.

A brief background to the much loved
Billbergia ‘Hallelujah’

– Notes and photo by Diane Timmins
An ‘oldie’ but a ‘goodie’, this plant is one of numerous hybrids and
cultivars that have originated from our joint winner of the March ‘Plant
of the Month’ – Billbergia ‘Domingos Martins’.

Don Beadle of Florida
always had a fascination with
bromeliads. He narrowed
his focus to billbergias when
he realised that it was not
practical or possible to collect
every bromeliad species. Don
collected the 20 or so billbergia
species available at the time and
then enjoyed and developed
the process of hybridising.
The initial results were mostly
green, as the material he had
to work with was relatively
plain. However, this all changed
when Bob Whitman collected
Billbergia ‘Domingos Martins’
in the wild of Brazil. Don said
he ‘lusted after that plant with
a passion’, and after much
coercion and a year’s wait he
managed to acquire a pup. Don
then revolutionised hybridising
when he crossed Billbergia
‘Domingos Martins’ with
Billbergia ‘Ed McWilliams’
resulting in Billbergia
‘Hallelujah’ which was
registered in 1988.

Having foliage of rich purple with large white spots, and the bonus of a spectacular

flower, this plant is still popular in many collections today. Don’s description

of Billbergia ‘Hallelujah’ includes the phrase ‘…with the mother retaining her
good looks into old age’, demonstrating his love for this particular plant, another
legacy of the man known in the bromeliad world as’ Mr Billbergia’.

 

10

 

Here is the review of the final garden we visited

in November 2017…

– Diane Timmins, with photos by Lucy Timmins
In Howick with Pas and Jim Southon’s

magnificent garden collection

Down a quiet road in
Auckland’s Howick suburbia
lies a picturesque property
showcasing an undeniable love for
bromeliads. Pas and Jim have been at
this location around 10 years, and the
garden is a magnificent collection of
bromeliads displayed with impeccable
taste. Jim claims Pas does the
green, he does the brown. I feel his
description dulls the importance of his
role in developing and installing the

structural side of the garden – the hard
landscaping part of building pathways
and garden beds. Only a small patch of
weed free grass remains, as pathways,
clearlite roofs, a swimming pool and

a fabulous goldfish pond have filled

the space. The garden is registered in
‘Gardens to Visit NZ’ as SAJJ Garden
and has numerous garden club visits
and an involvement with fundraising
events. This has inspired Pas to add

planters of vibrant flowers dotted

Cont’d P12 11

 

Cont’d from P11 – In Howick in Pas and Jim Southon’s garden…

12
amongst the bromeliad vistas. This
means that non-bromeliad fans visiting
would have another focus of interest

to enjoy. The flowers add a different

texture to the view, however they do
take more work. They require more
frequent watering than the bromeliads,
which get a weekly water to keep them
happy, and to wash away any stagnant
water – or pesky mosquito lavae.

Pas hasn’t always had such a passion
for bromeliads, but has always had

green fingers. Their previous garden

was in Dannemora, Manukau. The then

Mayor implemented a beautification

programme that included a ‘Garden of
the Year’ competition, which Pas and
Jim entered, and won – twice in a row!

In this previous garden her love
for bromeliads was sparked by the
purchase of a single bromeliad from
a garden centre. Without any prior
knowledge of how to grow or care
for bromeliads, Pas was impressed by
the beautiful pink foliage putting on a
show all year round in the garden, and
the rest as they say, is history.

Now, most of the bromeliads are in
pots, allowing easy maintenance,
manoeuvrability, and accessibility.
Shelves house layers of bright potted
succulents. Hanging planters hold
brightly coloured neoregelias, and
swathes of grey Tillandsia usneoides
(‘Spanish Moss’) hang gracefully
down.

Winter can threaten frosts in Howick.
Pas and Jim lay frost cloth out in
evenings when frost is forecast, and
this protects the plants as long as the

 

wind doesn’t blow it away though
generally, the wind helps take away the
threat of frost anyway.
Thanks Pas and Jim – we all enjoyed
a fabulous spread of food and drink in
the shelter of the garage, and a feast for
the eyes in your garden.
13

 

Mounting bromeliads

– Bryan Paten. Reprinted and adapted from Bromeliad Society of Victoria
newsletter, September 2017

When mounting bromeliads on
logs or bark try and replicate
the way they grow in nature.
Suitable materials for mounting include
slabs of cork, tree fern, or tree trunk, or
thick branches of hardwood trees. Note:
Green wood branches will last a lot
longer than old, dead wood branches.
Branches can be hung horizontally, or
placed upright with bromeliads nestled
into the branch axils. Cup hooks, wire
loops or strong fishing line can be used
to suspend your creation.

A natural look is obtained by placing the
smaller plants at the top, and working
down, choosing a variety of colours and
patterns to add interest. Plants should

be firmly attached in the axils with
old pantyhose strips (or fishing line or

plastic-covered wire) preferably with
bush moss, or sphagnum moss, placed
underneath the base of the bromeliad
and around the pantyhose. This adds
to the visual appeal of the plant and
helps to retain moisture and encourage
root growth. In nature, seeds and even
pups would fall from the higher mother
plant and lodge in the axils where they
would develop roots for attachment.

Pantyhose is preferable to fishing line

or wire, as it has some ‘give’ and it is
easier to provide the tension to hold the
plant in place without cutting into the
base. Bush moss has better colour, but it
is harder to obtain than sphagnum moss.
Paperbark is an alternative to moss.

Ideally, an odd number of plants
should be attached to your branch, and
handfuls of Spanish Moss (Tillandsia

usneoides) can be added for effect.
You may need to keep replacing this
when birds steal the moss to line their
nests. A workshop vice is an excellent
way to hold your branch while you are
attaching the plants.

Over time, as new pups form and
alter the appearance of your vertical
bromeliad sculpture, you might prefer
to remove the pups, or leave them
and remove the larger mother plant. A
large horizontal, planted log also looks
fabulous.

A hanging garden of tillandsias can be
easily made by drilling holes through

a log to thread fine strips of pantyhose

through. Small tillandsias can also be
attached with PVA glue, liquid nails or
hot glue, although this may come off
after a while.

Large pieces of tree root may have
naturally occurring holes ideal for
planting into. Drift wood is also an
attractive alternative but needs soaking
to remove the sea salt.

Old orchid bark works well as a potting
medium for bromeliads. When potting
up pups, on top of the potting medium,
semicircular chunks of polystyrene
around his plant, to support it until it
has developed a stable root system.
The polystyrene can then be discarded.
When labelling branch gardens or tree
fern slabs, it gives a better, more natural
appearance, if labels are hidden at the
back.

 

Nature often works in ways
that are beyond our ken

– Excerpted from the ‘President’s Corner’ article by Robert Kopfstein in the May
2016 issue of ‘The Bromeliad Blade’ – the newsletter of the San Diego Bromeliad
Society

In November of 1785, the Scots
poet Robert Burns was ploughing
his field when he inadvertently
overturned the nest of a mouse.
According to his brother, on the spot
he composed a poem ‘To A Mouse.’
Nice story!

Here is a small (famous) part of the
poem written by Burns in his favourite
Scottish dialect:

But Mousie, thou art no thy lane, [not
alone]
In proving foresight may be vain:
The best-laid schemes o’ mice an’ men
Gang aft agley, [often go awry].

 

THE BEST-LAID SCHEMES…

It is not only the growers of bromeliads
who must face up to the fact that humans
are fallible creatures. We style ourselves
as intelligent (Homo sapiens sapiens:
wise, wise man), and yet any gardener
can talk at length about his failures, and
the sometimes unfathomable mysteries
of the plant world. Think of the time,
or more likely times, that you saw an
unusual plant at a nursery or plant sale:
it cost more than you usually pay, but
you just had to have it. You fork over
the cash and take it home. Days, weeks

pass and the plant is clearly not happy.
You try every growing trick that you
know, but the plant does not respond.

Slowly it declines, and finally it is ready

for the compost pile.

So what went wrong? Obviously
something did. You ask questions of
other growers; you look for literature;
you try again – different pot, different
potting mix, different water schedule,
different light exposure.

And occasionally these best-laid
schemes work. Sometimes not.

So often in our arrogance we think that
we have the upper hand on nature, but
ultimately we all need to come to the
wisdom that nature often works in ways
that are beyond our ken. Burns ends his
short poem telling the poor displaced
mouse that he is ‘blest’ when compared
to humans who can look both back on
past failures and forward to the fear of
what may come. But that does not seem
to stop us from going out and buying
that pricey specimen that still piques
our interest even though the last one
has not yet decomposed in the compost
pile.

Coming up at monthly Society meetings in Auckland…

MAY • Monthly Choice competition: Bigeneric bromeliads

• Discussion topic: Protecting plants in tough weather conditions including frost
JUNE • Monthly Choice competition: Bromeliad arrangements
• Special events: Plant auction and our annual mid winter supper

Group News

Northland Bromeliad Group

– Nancy Peters
Our group’s AGM was held in March
in the Masonic Lodge Meeting
Rooms, Whangarei. President Graeme
Smithyman welcomed 29 members,
1 visitor and received 3 apologies.
Graeme’s report had been emailed out
to members and was available in hard
copy. Graeme thanked the team who had
helped and supported him and the group
over the past year and then he presented
our outgoing treasurer, Decima, with a
beautiful bromeliad.
‘Show and Tell’ Competition Winners for
the year were: 1st equal Don Nicholson
and Lyn White, 2nd equal Graeme
Smithyman and Pat Vendt, 3rd equal
Laura Maton and Diana Smithyman.

Officers elected were:

• President: Graeme Smithyman
P: (09) 432 0291
E: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
• Vice President: Pat Vendt
P: (09) 434 8058
E: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
• Secretary: Nancy Peters
P: (09) 437 2707
E: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
• Treasurer: Adona Cox
P: 435 6034
E: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
The meeting concluded with a
demonstration by Zena Poulgrain on
how to prepare and pot up bromeliads
for competition or sale. Thank you Zena
for those valuable tips.

Next meeting: Sunday April 22nd at
1.30pm at Adriana Hendel’s garden, 39
Weir Crescent, Onerahi.

Bay of Plenty Bromeliad Group

– Jo Elder
Lynley welcomed members and visitors
to our March meeting and AGM. Kevin
Pritchard spoke about his recent trip to
Caloundra where he was able to attend a
meeting of the Sunshine Coast Bromeliad
Society and go on garden visits.
Jo Elder gave a talk about the genera of
bromeliads commonly grown in New
Zealand. This led to a lively question and
answer time.
On Wednesday March 21st we visited
the garden of Ralph Starck at Papamoa.
Ralph and his wife have lived there for
only three years but his garden was well
laid out with well grown and beautiful
bromeliads. Then onto the garden of
Albert and Pam Schipper, a small garden
with bromeliads, bonsai and other
interesting plants.

• ‘Show and Tell’: Wilma Fitzgibbons
had brought along several tillandsias –
achyrostachys, gardneri, and floribunda,
small and large forms.
• Plant of the month – Guzmania:
1st Dean Morman with Guzmania
‘Passion’, 2nd Colin Sutherland with a
plant unnamed and 3rd Kevin Pritchard
with two unnamed guzmanias.

• Open competition: 1st Dean Morman
with Vriesea ‘Flare’, 2nd Jo Elder with
Aechmea ‘Ensign’ and 3rd Dean Morman
with Vriesea ‘Hot Spring’. Also on the
table was Vriesea correia-araujoi, and
an unnamed vriesea.
• Tillandsia: 1st Dean Morman with an
amazing xerographica plant, 2nd Jo Elder
with T. tectorum, and 3rd Audrey Hewson
with T. multicaulis.
Next meeting: May 9th, 12.30 to 2.30pm.
Michelle McDonnell, a landscape

designer, will speak. Plant of the month
is variegated neoregelias. No garden
visits until the warmer months.

Eastern Bay of Plenty Bromeliad and
Orchid Group – Gail Anderson

Our March meeting was held at Ross and
Gail Fergusson’s amazing garden with
31 members present. First we walked
around the garden and then we enjoyed
a shared lunch with members who all
brought a plate. The meeting consisted
of three workshops:

1. Sue Laurent demonstrated the art
of mounting and labeling Tillandsia
ixioides on bark and driftwood using
‘liquid nails’ and cut up stockings.
2. Maureen Moffatt took us through
the process of dividing bromeliads and
repotting. She also covered how to clean
plants, soil medium and feeding. Very
informative.
3. Ross Fergusson’s subject was ‘Bits
and Pieces’. He showed us if you cut
the toes out of long socks they become
instant arm protectors. Hey presto! No
more scratches when working with your
broms. Ross also talked about general
bromeliad health and what to do about
quilling.
Congratulations to Don and Helen Young
on 60 years of marriage. Well done!
Bev Fisk volunteered to be our
competition coordinator. Thanks Bev.
Annabelle Norton and Robyn Julian
will look into a venue for our Christmas
function. Thanks Annabelle and Robyn.

Competitions:

• Flowering Bromeliad: 1st Margaret
McDonald – Tillandsia leiboldiana,
2nd Gail Anderson – Nidulariam fulgens,
3rd Alison Iremonger – Aechmea fasciata.
• Foliage: 1st equal Allison
Iremonger and Ross Fergusson
both with Aechmea pectinata,
2nd Maureen Moffatt – Neoregelia
‘Orange Crush’, 3rd equal Pam Signal
Vriesea ‘Joyful Grace’ and Alison
Iremonger with a neoregelia hybrid.
• Tillandsia: 1st Pam Signal – Tillandsia
didisticha, 2nd Ross Fergusson –
Tillandsia pseudobaileyi, 3rd Gail
Anderson – Tillandsia ixioides.
• Plant of the Month – Hanging
Basket: 1st Elsa McGuigan with a mini
Neoregelia ‘Zoe’, 2nd Ross Fergusson
Neoregelia ‘Fireball’ and 3rd Alison
Iremonger with a mixed arrangement.
• Orchids: 1st Pam Signal, 2nd Alison
Iremonger and 3rd Pam Signal.
For information contact Ross Fergusson
07-312 5487, Maureen Moffatt at 07-322
2276 or Gail Anderson 07-307 9332.

 

Ayrlies Plant Fair • GARDEN & WETLANDS

Friday 11th and Saturday 12th May

125 Potts Road, Whitford, Auckland

9.30am – 4.00pm

• An exciting variety of plants for sale from leading growers
• Enjoy light refreshments and live music
• $10 cash entry fee. For health and safety no children under 12 or dogs
www.ayrlies.co.nz/news/

 

Article and photos by Graeme Barclay
I had another very rare aechmea bloom for me earlier this year, that you
may remember seeing mentioned under the ‘Flowering’ competition in our
January Journal. Let’s take a closer look at this stately plant.

Aechmea paniculegera

In Latin, the name ‘paniculigera’
means ‘producing a panicle’
(another name for inflorescence),
which is an understandable and apt
description, considering the large
and impressive nature of the bloom.
It was first collected in Jamaica and
described by Swartz in 1864, no doubt
the large and colourful flower spike
making it very noticeable to visiting
botanists in Jamaica, where it is quite a
common species. It was subsequently
also found growing in Colombia and
Venezuela and is mostly epiphytic in
humid forests, between 900 and 1600
metres elevation, but has also been
found in various locations in all three
countries growing on rocks.

The plant is large and imposing,
growing to well over a metre in
diameter, with long, heavily spined
leaves. In low light the leaves are
apple-green, but when exposed to
higher, consistent light levels, they
take on a lovely golden-orange hue. I
grew it initially high up in my warmest
greenhouse, where it attained its
orange colour before moving it lower
down so it could get to a much larger

size unhindered and I could keep a
better eye on it. After a couple of years

it began to push a flower spike that

initially looked like a solid pink rocket
around three inches in diameter. I had
a good idea what to expect, as the full-
page photo in Baensch’s wonderful
picture book ‘Blooming Bromeliads’,

depicts a truly magnificent, tall and
dark inflorescence. Even though the

bloom on my plant did not seem as tall
as the Baensch specimen, I was not
disappointed when it fully developed

and the flowers began to open. Around
ten flowers opened each day, over a

period of 3-4 weeks, the petals are a
delicate pale violet and very glossy,
protruding from the dark purple
ovaries, creating a very unique sight.

I believe this clone I have of Aechmea
paniculigera is relatively hardy, so
I will be trying a pup outside in the
garden in a warm, dappled shade area
to see how it fares. The Baensch book
notes it likes a moist potting mix, which
I found it responded well to. It will be
interesting to see how it goes outside
in a rich mix, living off rain water and
handling some winter chills.

REFERENCE:

‘Blooming Bromeliads’ , Baensch & Baensch (1994), pages 44-45, 72-73.

 

Aechmea paniculigerainflorescence emerging
Aechmea paniculigeraflower close-up
Aechmea paniculigera,
page 45 in the Baensch book Aechmea paniculigerablooming in New Zealand

Tillandsia guatemalensisprovides a splash of bright colour.
Attractive planting arrangement withTillandsia usneoides (Spanish Moss) featuring.
In Lynette Nash’s
lovely garden…
– Photos by Lucy Timmins

 

 

Read more ...

Details

Written by BSNZ Admin

June 2018
VOL 58 NO 6
Vriesea ‘Wild Jean’, an amazing hybrid from
David Fell in Hawaii. Photo by Graeme Barclay.
• Margaret and Robert Flanagan’s stunning new greenhouse
• Introducing our new ‘Dear Doctor Brom’ feature
• BSI world conference report

New from New Zealand
– By Graeme Barclay
Check out this wonderful new hybrid, the first tillandsia to be featured in

our ‘New From New Zealand’ series.

Tillandsia ‘Hunua Flagship’

John Mitchell – 2006 | Reg: December 2017

Mature, open rosette to 46cm
diameter x 26cm high. Broad,
semi-glossy, pliant, mid-
green, arching, recurving leaves with
some darker green mottling in young
offsets. Erect, main, central, separate,
spire-like inflorescence to 50cm tall

Tillandsia ‘Hunua Flagship’
PHOTO JOHN MITCHELL
with vermillion orange/red peduncle
bracts, plus lime green small sections

and violet flowers. Secondary, smaller

“paddles”, up to a dozen, individually
emerge from lower rosette leaf axils.

The parentage formula is Tillandsia
multicaulis x Tillandsia imperialis.

This plant resulted from one of John’s

first crosses over ten years ago. Most

tillandsias are slow to grow and

bloom from seed, requiring dedicated
patience! Crossing two true species,
(known as a ‘primary hybrid’), often
gives the hybridizer increased clarity
in visualizing the outcome. John’s

goal here was to obviously combine

the large, central orange flower spike

of Tillandsia imperialis into the

multi-paddled axillary inflorescence

of the Tillandsia multicaulis seed
mother. Both parents have similar

coloured leaves and floral bracts, these
features along with the inflorescence

structures have combined in fairly

equal proportions, producing what you
would expect to see in a 50/50 hybrid

of the two parents. Tillandsia ‘Hunua
Flagship’ should be a hardy candidate
for outdoors growing and is sure to
become an excellent garden feature
plant.

Bromeliad Society of New Zealand Inc

Bromeliad Journal – June 2018 issue

 

CONTENTS
‘New from New Zealand’ – Graeme Barclay 2
President’s Page – Diane Timmins 4
Bromeliad Society May meeting news – Bev Ching 5
Plant of the Month – Diane Timmins 8
Rules for Novice table – July competition 9
Group News 9
‘Special Species Spotlight’ – Graeme Barclay 12
‘Dear Doctor Brom’ – a new feature! 14
BSI world Bromeliad Conference in San Diego – Dave Anderson 15
Society officers, subs and Journal directory 17
Margaret and Robert Flanagan’s new bromeliad haven – Diane Timmins 18

The opinions expressed in articles or letters in this Journal are the contributors’ own views and
do not necessarily express the views or the policy of the Bromeliad Society of New Zealand.

COMING EVENTS

Please see the Group News section on page 9 for details of meeting times and venues.

JUNE
24th Bay of Plenty Group meeting
26th Society monthly meeting at

Greyfriars Hall, corner of Mt Eden
and Windmill roads, starting at
7.30pm. Monthly Choice competition:

Bromeliad arrangement (see rules on

page 7). We will stage our Society plant

auction and then all join to enjoy our

annual mid-winter supper. PLEASE
BRING A PLATE TO SHARE!

JULY

1st South Auckland Group meeting
11th Bay of Plenty Group meeting
24th Society monthly meeting at

Greyfriars Hall, corner of Mt Eden and
Windmill roads, starting at 7.30pm.

Our Monthly Choice competition this
month will be the one-off Novice table
competition (see rules on page 9.)
Graeme Barclay will give a PowerPoint
presentation on the recent BSI
Conference in San Diego… with lots of
great plant photos.

Front Cover: From the BSI World Conference… photo by Graeme Barclay.

Vriesea ‘Wild Jean’, an amazing hybrid from David Fell in Hawaii that was registered
in 2015. It was one of the “show stoppers” at the conference in San Diego, at around
80cm diameter. While this plant is not yet in NZ, it is in the top echelon of variegated

vrieseas in the world.

23

 

PRESIDENT’S PAGE Bromeliad Society May Meeting News

 

Winter’s here, along with all

the fun that goes with it…

rain, hail, thunder, snow,
wind, frost, and cold. We’ve had the

lot already. I hope you and your plants
have done OK so far.

Even with a few days of lovely clear
skies and no wind, the cold has set

in and our bromeliads will have shut
down and be in sleep mode until the
soil warms around their feet and the
days stretch out longer again.

Our June meeting will be lots of fun.

Come along, bring a plate for our
mid-winter supper, and enjoy our

annual auction of rare and desirable
bromeliads. You may go home with a
new treasure!

David Cowie will be updating us on

our BSNZ website, giving us a quick

demonstration on our new user-friendly
software that allows members to easily
see past BSNZ Journals online.

For the auction, some of the plants

will be available to view before the
meeting on the ‘kiwi bromeliad group’

Facebook page. If you’re out of town,

and would like to be involved in the

auction, we are able to take absentee

bids before the meeting commences.

To do this, please contact Graeme

Barclay through the ‘kiwi bromeliad
group’ Facebook page messages. He

will need your name, phone number,

and maximum you would like to offer
on a plant. Freight or transport costs
will be on top of the auction price.

This month our ‘Plant of the Month’
competition table is ‘Bromeliad

Arrangement’, so see what beautiful art

you can make from our lovely broms.

You will find the simple RULES for
creating an arrangement on page 7.

Next month – July – will be an
opportunity for newer members to

bring in a plant of any category, and

put it into a ‘Novice Class’ competition
on the ‘Plant of the Month’ table.
Only people who have been members
for three years or less can enter this.
Give it a go! We’d love to see your

special plant. The RULES for this

one-off competition are on page 9 of
this Journal.

We would like to hear from you if you

have any queries about problems you

may encounter with your bromeliads.
We have introduced a new section into
our Journal called ‘Dear Dr Brom’.
The idea is that you send in your

query (hopefully along with photos
if possible, but not essential), and we

will endeavour to source an expert in

the field to help solve your dilemma.
Our first ‘Dear Dr Brom’ appears this

month on page 14.

Thanks to those who have paid their

subs, and to those who haven’t done so
already, remember it’s just a couple of

bucks each month. You can pay online

at BSNZ account:
03-0227-0071516-00

Keep warm.

Di

– Notes by Bev Ching. Photos by Agatha Lambert.
President Diane Timmins
welcomed 41 members to our
May meeting. It was noted that
the sales table is the place to visit at
the meeting if you are in need of pots,
hangers, labels, and fertiliser and also
to buy your raffle tickets.

‘Show and Tell’

There were only two plants. The first
a beautiful large clump of flowering

Tillandsia stricta on a stand brought
in by Robert Flanagan. Another small
plant was brought for naming. While

it had lovely variegated leaves, which
looked a bit like a cryptanthus, others

thought maybe a miniature neoregelia.
It was suggested it be brought back in

Winning plants from our
May meeting…
when flowering. Robert Flanagan.
First in Open Flowering:
Catopsis subulata (Peter Coyle)
First in Open Foliage:
Aechmea chantinii ‘Samurai’ (Peter Coyle)
Winter presentation

Hawi Winter presented a PowerPoint
on ‘Keeping bromeliads happy for

winter”. Covering plants from frost

is a must for bromeliads growing
with no foliage from other trees and

shrubs, especially in Auckland where
temperatures can get to below zero in

some areas.
In some suburbs frost cloth is left on

 

for the entire winter, especially plants

prone to the cold. Remember to cover
alcantareas if there is a threat of hail or

frost. They are usually the first to be

damaged.

The special raffle went to Noelene
Ritson. Door Prizes to Vicky Carr and

Cont’d P6

 

Cont’d from P5 – Bromeliad Society Meeting News

COMPETITIONS
Open Flowering: First Peter Coyle

with the species Catopsis subulata.
Catopsis is from the Greek word
Katopsis meaning ‘view’. This plant
will grow as an epiphyte or in pots
indoor. There are only about 18

different species in this genus, they

grow from Central to South America.
Second was John Mitchell with a
large pot of Aechmea recurvata var.
benrathii. This plant is flowering

profusely at the moment and makes
a great display in the garden when

Neoregelia ‘Totara Hellfire’ (Peter Coyle)
Vriesea ‘Copper Blonde’ (Diane Timmins)
Aechmea recurvata benrathii
(John Mitchell)
First in Neoregelia:
Neoregelia ‘Ironside’ (Peter Coyle)
not much else is flowering. Other

plants on the table were another pot of
Aechmea recurvata var. benrathii and

a flowering billbergia.

Open Foliage: First Peter Coyle with
Aechmea chantinii ‘Samurai’, this will
look stunning at flowering time. Second

Diane Timmins with an Andrew Maloy
hybrid Vriesea ‘Copper Blonde’. Also
on the table were Lutheria splendens, a
plant which needs warmth and shelter

to grow outside here, but do well
inside, Neoregelia ‘Alcatraz’, Vriesea
‘Hot Sunday’ hybrid and Vriesea
‘Kiwi’ hybrid.

First in Monthly Choice:
xCanmea (Aechmea ‘Ensign’ x Canistrum
triangulare) (Judy Graham)
Tillandsia: Well where to start, the

table was full of tillandsias this month
which is great to see. First was Pas
Southon with Tillandsia stricta set on
driftwood. Second Peter Coyle with
Tillandsia ‘Phoenix’ – a Margaret
Paterson hybrid. Also on the table
were three other Tillandsia stricta,
Tillandsia xerographica, Tillandsia
caerulea a perfumed tillandsia,
Tillandsia ionantha hybrid, Tillandsia
crocata, another perfumed tillandsia,

Tillandsia confertiflora with a large
flower spike, and Tillandsia secunda.

Vriesgoudaea ‘Jags Hunua Gloss(John Mitchell)
Tillandsia ‘Phoenix’ (Peter Coyle)
Neoregelia: First and second in this

group was Peter Coyle with Neoregelia
‘Ironside’, and Neoregelia ‘Totara
Hellfire’, with stacking leaves. Also on
the table were Neoregelia ‘Exotica Red
Ember’, a hybrid from Andrew Steen,

an un-named species found in the wild
from Peter Waters and growing into a

nice plant, another un-named plant and
Neoregelia ‘First Prize’ which is also a

great garden plant.

Monthly Choice Plants: (bigeneric
bromeliads): First was Judy Graham
with xCanmea (Aechmea ‘Ensign’
x Canistrum triangulare), second
John Mitchell with Vriesgoudaea
‘Jags Hunua Gloss’. Also on the
table were xCanmea ‘Hunua Dark
Prince’, Vrieslandsia ‘Marichelle, a
red leaf xNeomea and xCanmea ‘Wild
Leopard’.Plant of the month went to
Pas Southon with Tillandsia stricta.

Congratulations to all the winners.

NEXT MEETING: Tues June 26th.

June Monthly Meeting…

The ‘Monthly Choice’ competition

is bromeliad arrangements…

Here are the simple rules:

The arrangement shall use

bromeliads only and incorporate

only natural materials.

Also at our June

meeting…

David Cowie will update us all on

the enhancements that have been

made to our Society website.

67

 

At our May meeting…
Tillandsia stricta (purple form) – grown by Pas Southon

 

This is a ‘rags to riches’ story for
a lonely clump of Tillandsia
stricta that had been lying in an
overgrown corner of a garden for some
time. The original owner – a friend of
Pas, had begun clearing out the property
in order to move to another house.

Pas spotted the bedraggled pile, and

asked what was going to happen to it.

Having no immediate plans for it, the

owner passed it on to her.

Taking it home, Pas wasn’t sure what

would be the ideal situation for its
recovery. It was not in the best condition
having been left to survive on its own in
less than an ideal environment for some

time. To spread the risk, she divided
the clump into several parts, cleaned
them up, and attached them to pieces

of driftwood. They were then placed in
various parts of her own garden.

With lots of air movement, regular
watering, and brighter light, each of
them thrived, whether they were under
the palms, under the glass, or under
the trees. Interestingly, it was possible

to tell that they had been exposed to

varying light conditions, as their foliage

colour ranged from green in the areas
of more shade – to the deeper purple
when grown in high light. Irrespective

of light intensity, they all had sufficient

light to induce them to all break out into

a fabulous bouquet of flowers.

Seeing the show of flowers they were

Tillandsia stricta
offering, then it was simply up to Pas to
gather them together again, and taking

them off their individual driftwood

pieces, and attaching them to one single

piece to bring into the meeting for us
to enjoy – which we obviously did – as
it won the most popular ‘Plant of the
month’ award for the May competition.

A great result for the first plant Pas

has brought to our competition table.

Hopefully, she will bring along a lot

more!

Novice Table Rules for our July monthly meeting:

1. Exhibitors must be financial 5. No commercial leaf shine, cream
members of the Bromeliad or milk may be used to enhance
Society of New Zealand, and the appearance of the plant.
have been a member for 3 years 6. A pot may contain single or
or less. multiple plants provided they
2. A maximum of two plants per are attached to a single rootstock
member may be entered. (except Tillandsia).
3. Plants must have been grown by 7. Tillandsia may be loose or if
the exhibitor for at least 3 months mounted be firmly attached to
prior to the competition. mount. They may be single or
4. Plants must be labelled, clean and multiple plants of one type only.
healthy, and drained of water.
Group News
Northland Bromeliad Group Members were reminded of the
– Nancy Peters continued need for help over the
winter months at the Whangarei
Our May meeting was held at the Quarry Gardens. The magnificent
home of Don Nicholson in Whangarei. bromeliad gardens there were planted
Graeme thanked Don for hosting our by foundation member Freda Nash and
meeting of 26 members. Members her team.
enjoyed viewing Don’s extensive
bromeliad collection and garden. His May ‘Show and Tell’ Competition
beautiful and superbly maintained Winners:
bromeliads were sparkling after 1st Decima Severinsen – Aechmea
heavy rain showers. The broms were chantinii ‘Chocolate’,
mostly in pots and almost completely 2nd = Diana Smithyman – Orthophytum
encompassed all available garden gurkenii
space in his town section. 2nd = Pat Vendt – Neoregelia ‘Lime and
Lava’.
We then popped around the corner and
down the road to where Nancy Peters Next meeting: Sunday June 24th at
welcomed us to her garden. Nancy’s Masonic Lodge Meeting Rooms,
garden – a small town house garden, 17 Albert Street, Whangarei (Behind
was beautifully manicured and showed Arthur’s Emporium) at 1.30pm.
us just what could be achieved in a Parking available.
small space.
Pat Vendt will be bringing her favourite
Please see Northland Bromeliad bromeliads to the meeting and talking
Group’s Facebook pages for photos of about them. Members are also invited
these gardens. to bring along their favourite plants.

89

 

Bay of Plenty Bromeliad Group

– Lynley Breeze
Our treasurer, Diane Vusich, noted that
the last three month’s finances are in

balance.

Dean Morman is looking into prices

and sizes for plant pots that we will

sell.

Our guest speaker was Michelle

McDonnell, a local professional
landscape planner. We were amazed

to learn how complex and lengthy the

process of designing a garden is, and

that was further borne out when we

learned that during a 3 year degree, only

six weeks towards the end was devoted
to plants. Tips for small gardens were

to avoid cramming the garden, seek
balance, have paths as wide as possible,

take extra space by growing plants
over features such as sheds and walls
and keep it simple. She recommended
a focal point such as an urn at the end
of a vista and says water adds life to a
garden. The principle is to think of it
as a room. The hard landscaping is the
architecture and the plants furnish it.

Competition Results:
Plant of the month – Variegated
neoregelias: 1st Lynley Breeze with
Neoregelia ‘Kahala Sunset’ 2nd Di
Pinkerton with Neoregelia (carolinae x
‘Painted Lady’) x (olens x chlorosticta),
3rd Dean Morman with Neoregelia
marmorata (variegated). Also tabled,

‘Dr Jeffery Block’ and ‘Predator’.
‘Show and Tell’: Neoregelia ‘Dr.
Oeser’ (variegated)’ and Neoregelia

‘Van Dourme’ both tabled by Colin

Sutherland. There was also a vriesea
needing a name.

Open Competition: 1st Ralph Stark
with Vriesea ‘Splenriet’ 2nd Dean
Morman with Vriesea ‘Copper Rose’
and 3rd equal Ralph Stark with a
neoregelia variegated hybrid and Dean
Morman with Vriesea ‘Dawn Duet’.
Tillandsia Competition: 1st Audrey
Hewson with Tillandsia ‘Creation’
2nd Dean Morman with Tillandsia
harmsiana and 3rd Audrey Hewson
with Tillandsia crocata. Also presented
were Tillandsia punctulata , carminea,
and capitata ‘Hondurensis’.

Next meeting: 11th July 12.30pm –
2.30pm at the Yacht Club. Roger Allen

will speak and lead discussion on plant
propagation.

Plant of the month: Nidulariums

Eastern Bay of Plenty Bromeliad
and Orchid Group – Jenny Briggs

Ross Fergusson welcomed 20
members, including a new member,

to the May meeting held at Kingsley
Scout Hall.

In lieu of our guest speaker postponing

till later in the year, a ‘Movie

Afternoon’ was held. This was

organised, downloaded and presented

by Maureen Moffatt and gave us the
opportunity to make use of our new
club projector. We enjoyed several
videos featuring beautiful gardens
plus other interesting and informative
clips of broms and orchids. Thanks to
Maureen for stepping in.

‘Show and Tell’: Ross Fergusson
brought along the three beautiful
bromeliads he had recently purchased
on the online auction. Ross also

talked about experimenting with
a Neoregelia ‘Maggies Pride’ pup
placed into the neck of a plastic bottle
just above the water line and about

three weeks later finding the pup

growing roots down to reach the water.
There was a discussion about a group
of his Neoregelia ‘Yellow King’
struggling and not looking very healthy.
We also saw an opportunist mini

neoregelia, that put out a long

stolon with the pup taking root in a
neighbouring pot.

Barbara Rogers brought along a
selection of bromeliads including
Neoregelia compacta and spoke about
its climbing and spreading habit and

then how another brom, given to her
years ago, has also spread out of its pot

to grow into a large beautiful natural
looking clump.

Competition winners:
Open Foliage: 1st Jean Richardson

 

– Quesnelia ‘Tim Plowman’, 2nd
Maureen Moffatt – Neoregelia ‘Hot
Embers’, 3rd Ross Fergusson with
Orthophytum gurkenii.

Open Flowering: 1st Ross Fergusson

– Tillandsia imperialis, 2nd Sue
Laurent with a yellow bract flowering
vriesea, 3rd Elaine Binns – Canistropsis
billbergioides.

Tillandsia: 1st Sue Laurent with
tectorum, 2nd Wilma Fitzgibbons with
carminea, 3rd Ross Fergusson with
tricolor.

Plant of the Month: Red tipped leaf

1st Maureen Moffatt – Neoregelia
‘Chili Verde’, 2nd Ross Fergusson –
Neoregelia correia-araujoi F2.

Next meeting: June 17th at Kingsley
Scout Hall at 1pm. For information

about our group contact Ross Fergusson

07-312-5487 or Maureen Moffatt 07322-2276.

South Auckland Bromeliad Group

– Hawi Winter
Our June meeting started with
paying respect with a minute of
silence for our long-time member
and friend Pat Johnston who died
suddenly. Our condolences go to
her husband Bruce and family.
Regarding the venue for next year’s
bromeliad sale – the use of the Drury
School hall is being considered. More

advertising would be necessary, the

sale would have to be on a Saturday
and a thorough clean-up of the hall

would be required.

Our speaker of the month was Nancy
Murphy with her ‘Tour of Southern
India’ slide presentation. She covered

the use of flowers and plant material
in India, with highlights of architecture

(golden temples in stark contrast to the

poverty of the people), tea plantations,

monkey menace and rock carvings.
Overall it was an entertaining glimpse
of an exotic far-away world.

Raffle winners: Norma Cook, Don

Brown and Neil Douglas

Skite Table winners: Nancy Murphy,
John Mitchell, Margaret Flanagan

Next meeting: July 1st in the Drury

School Hall at 1:30pm. There will be

a collective ‘Show and Tell’ where
various bromeliads will be featured
by several presenters. It should be
‘edutainment’ at its best.

10 11

 

Article and photos by Graeme Barclay
With our mid-winter Society rare plant auction just around the corner, I
am pleased to share this beautiful aechmea that will be auctioned for the

first time in New Zealand.

Aechmea ‘Black Zombie’

Three years ago in our June 2015
Journal, I featured another
aechmea that was new to
New Zealand at the time – Aechmea
‘Roberto Menescal’. This plant is
an amazing variegated dark form of
the highly variable species, Aechmea
chantinii, which arose in 2000 as
a tissue-cultured seedling in the
Brazilian nursery of Rolf Zorning. In
that 2015 article, I mentioned Aechmea
‘Roberto Menescal’ had produced a
non-variegated (NOVAR) sport at Mal
Cameron’s Brisbane nursery in 2011.
This sport remained stable through the
next generation, featuring solid ebony-
black leaves with irregular, ghostly
silver banding and blotching on both
sides. It was subsequently named and
registered by Mal in 2013 as Aechmea
‘Black Zombie’ and also became a
highly sought-after cultivar.

In late 2015, I was lucky to import a pup

each of Aechmea ‘Roberto Menescal’
and Aechmea ‘Black Zombie’ from
Australia and grew them side-by-side
in my greenhouse. Approximately
two years later they had both matured
and bloomed within a few months of

each other. Apart from their unique
and desirable features, both of these

plants have proved to be reasonably

fast, strong growers and are also

surprisingly cold-hardy. Many other
clones of Aechmea chantinii, both
green and darker brown/black forms,
are quite cold tender. Their leaves

often easily die off or mark during
winter months and the plants struggle
to keep shape and grow well. This is
not the case with Aechmea ‘Roberto
Menescal’ and Aechmea ‘Black
Zombie’. Their leaves remain clean

and growth is strong year-round, hence

they are a pleasure to grow and always

look good. However, I have not tried

them in temperatures below 8 degrees

in an unheated greenhouse, or where

they are exposed to cold rain and wind.
This may still be a stretch for them

here, but if I had to pick a clone to give
it a try, it would be Aechmea ‘Black
Zombie’. It would be interesting to
know if the original tissue-cultured
plant used by Rolf Zorning to create

his seedlings was also a strong, non
cold-sensitive clone, I suspect it was.

Growing these showy aechmeas is
therefore not a simple task in climates

such as New Zealand, unless you have
a warm greenhouse, conservatory or

bay window indoors to house them

Aechmea ‘Black Zombie’ in bloom.
PHOTO MAL CAMERON
Aechmea ‘Black Zombie’ rosette.
PHOTO ROSIE PROCTOR KELLY
during the winter months. They would
grow acceptably outdoors for the other

three seasons of the year, especially in

a sheltered spot with regular watering

and feeding, but I am yet to try this

out. Aechmea ‘Black Zombie’ is best

positioned in a hanging pot with

very bright, or filtered strong light to
keep the leaves black, otherwise they

will turn slightly green in lower light
intensity.

12 13

 

This month we’re starting a new column where we will get experienced and

knowledgeable members of our Society to answer a common (or maybe not so

common) problem relating to bromeliad cultivation.

Let’s get started…

Q. Dear Doctor Brom,
I have large holes in the leaves of
my bromeliads appearing overnight.
What creature is eating my plants?
DIAGNOSIS: Weta
In our New Zealand backyards we have

a large nocturnal flightless grasshopper.

Our rust brown Weta are one of the
largest and heaviest insects in the world.

They eat mostly lichen, leaves, flowers,
seedheads, fruit … and unfortunately

they also seem to have a taste for
bromeliads.

They are often found hiding in the lower
leaf axils of your plant and appear at the
most unexpected moment.

I knew I had one residing somewhere

in my greenhouse, when a group of

alcantarea seedlings began developing
holes in their middle leaves. I searched
all the places I thought he may be hiding

to no avail. Sometime later, when I
was repotting, I made an interesting

discovery. Having removed a plant from

its pot, soil intact, I began to loosen the
soil around the root mass. And there,

to my surprise was a Weta in a lovely

rounded out hollow, half way up the

inside of the soil. I’m sure ‘Mr Weta’

got a huge, and unwelcome surprise too!

There was a neat tunnel from the drainage

hole to the chamber. I wondered how this

enormous beast could have fitted through

the hole. I have read that they reverse

into their earthy homes, and chew edges
to keep the opening free. Unfortunately,

I missed the opportunity to take a good

photograph, as the ‘element of surprise’

phenomenon got to me and I lost the
plot. I had inadvertently poked ‘Mr

Weta’ with my finger and his resulting

arching of the hind legs warned me of

his presence. Instantly, along with high
pitched verbal accompaniments, the pot,
the Weta, the plant and myself flew off in

different directions. I composed myself
and retrieved the pieces as best I could
but the ‘photo op’ was lost.

However, I have a photo of the butt of a

male (females have a long spike in the

rear – an ovipositor – for laying eggs),

that was in another bromeliad. He was
prised from his cubby hole and released

safely, far away, near a tree. I also have

a photo of the damage these insects can

inflict on bromeliad plants.

PROGNOSIS: With the ground Weta

growing to 40mm, and the tree Weta
up to 100mm (body only), they are just

another element of nature to keep us on
our toes.

By Diane Timmins

IF YOU HAVE A BROMELIAD ‘PROBLEM’ that needs answering please send in your
question, hopefully with accompanying photo or photos, to ‘Doctor Brom’ – C/- Diane
Timmins at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or to our editor at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

 

BSI World Bromeliad
Conference 2018
San Diego 29th May – 3rd June

– Notes and photos by Dave Anderson
The 23rd World Bromeliad Diego. The city is on the Pacific coast
Conference was held in the and is known for its beaches, parks and
southern Californian city of San warm climate. It is close to the Mexican

Cont’d P16

The San Diego Society’s display.

Cont’d from P15 – BSI World Bromeliad Conference 2018

border and has an urban population of
over 1.4 million people. Historically

they have only 10 inches of rain a year,

but this past year only 3 inches.

This was the 3rd time, that San Diego
had hosted the Conference, the earlier
occasions were in 1994 and 2006. Kiwis
attending were: Peter Waters; Diana
Holt; Graeme and Jeanene Barclay and

Dave and Joan Anderson.

collection of tillandsias, hohenbergias,

billbergias and other broms growing in
a shade house. Outside they have an
extensive orchard where puyas and other
terrestrials grow. Next door we visited
the lovely garden of Robert and Karen
Kopfstein who also have a wide selection
of bromeliad terrestrials. Saturdays
gardens were to two beautifully

landscaped, smaller gardens once again

with many wonderful bromeliads.

Scientific Officer: Peter Waters

Librarian: Noelene Ritson
Committee: Bev Ching
Lester Ching
Alan Cliffe
David Cowie
Pas Southon
Lucy Timmins

 

09-534 5616
09-625 8114
09-576 4595
09-576 4595
09-479 1451
09-630 8220
09-535 3544
021-078 1102

 

Seven seminars were
presented on Friday
and Saturday with a
variety of speakers
including our own Peter

Waters, discussing ‘The

Bromeliad Scene in

NZ‘. He spoke so well,

that many BSI members
were convinced that they
should visit NZ. Other
speakers presented on

‘Tillandsia Hybrids’,

‘Studies in Hechtioideae’
and ‘Searching for new
Colombian Bromeliad
Species’ to mention just
a few.

OFFICERS

 

Patron: Patricia Sweeney
President: Diane Timmins 09-415 9066
Vice Presidents: Jocelyn Coyle 09-416 8272
Graeme Barclay 09-817 4153
Secretary: Dave Anderson 09-638 8671
Treasurer: Peter Waters 09-534 5616
Life Members: Dave Anderson, Patricia Perratt,
Patricia Sweeney, Peter Waters

Editor: Murray Mathieson 09-418 0366

MEMBERSHIP SUBSCRIPTION

 

New Zealand

Ordinary membership NZ $45.00 ($5.00 discount

if paid before the end of February).

Dual membership (same household) NZ $55.00
($5.00 discount applies as above).

Overseas

NZD $45.00. Send all payments to the Treasurer,
Peter Waters, 22 Half Moon Rise, Half Moon Bay,
Auckland 2012.

Paying electronically

Paying via internet banking: Bromeliad Society
account: 03-0227-0071516-00. Please include your
name as reference. Re full contact information for

new members / changes for existing members,
please email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Correspondence

All general correspondence should be sent to the

Secretary, Bromeliad Society of New Zealand,

P.O. Box 108-168, Symonds Street, Auckland,
New Zealand. The opinions expressed in letters
or articles in the Journal are the contributors’ own
views and do not necessarily express the views or
policy of the Bromeliad Society of New Zealand
Inc.

Society Website

www.bsnz.org – For past Journal archive –

growing tips – articles – sales information

The conference was held at Paradise

Point Island Resort with the official
opening, lunch and welcome address on
Wednesday 30th followed by the opening
of plant sales. Sadly, we are not permitted
to import bromeliads from the U.S.A. to

NZ so all we could do was admire a great
assortment of many wonderful plants.

Thursday and Saturday afternoons were

set aside for garden visits. The first
garden, about an hour’s drive to the
north of the city, belongs to Dan Kinnard
and Eloise Lau. They have a marvellous

All in all, it was a
superb conference finishing on Saturday
evening with the banquet. During this
we enjoyed a mesmerising talk from
Dennis Cathcart on how he started in
bromeliads and the 40 years or so since.

We certainly have come home with some

great memories and on a personal note,

it was especially pleasing to meet up

with all our bromeliad friends. Finally,

congratulations and a huge thanks to
the Conference Co-Chair hosts Nancy
Groves and Scott Sandel.

BROMELIAD JOURNAL

Editorial Committee

Dave Anderson
Murray Mathieson
Peter Waters

Production

Murray Mathieson

Distribution

Dave Anderson

All enquiries and contributions welcome,

please contact any member of the editorial

committee or send to Peter Waters, 22 Half Moon
Rise, Half Moon Bay, Auckland 2012 or email:
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Deadline

For all editorial and advertising, the first

Tuesday of publication month

Display Advertising

Rates are:
Full Page $60.00
Half Page $30.00
Quarter Page $15.00

‘Buy & Swap’

Listings in ‘Buy & Swap’ are FREE for members
of the Society (max. 30 words).
For advertising enquiries and material, please
contact Murray Mathieson ph (09) 418 0366
or email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

16 17

 

A visit to Margaret and Robert
Flanagan’s outstanding new
property… a haven for bromeliads!

– Article and photos by Diane Timmins
Margaret and Robert Flanagan’s

newly acquired property
in quiet rural Auckland is

resting in gently rolling farmland with

picturesque far reaching views.

They purchased the property with
plans to develop the sturdy horse stable

complex that was already in place, into
their new ‘tillandsia house’, much as

they had done on their previous property.

However, low light levels in the building
led them to scratch that plan, and instead

they have built a brand-new greenhouse
complex designed for their beloved
collection.

When the greenhouse builders erected

the first end structural beams, Margaret
and Robert looked at each other and said,

‘what have we done?’. The silhouette
was daunting. The ends of the two

adjoining greenhouses, each 10.5m
wide, stand around 6m tall at each apex.

But the concrete base was down, the

builders had lifted things into place and

the construction continued, covering
the concrete slab that stretches 30m in

length. Now the wonderful greenhouse
complex holds maybe a thousand

fabulous desirable specimens, all kept in

immaculate condition.

One side is a shade house covered in

a roof of 50% white shade cloth. The
sides and end are plastic, and the sides

can be wound up to relieve the intense
heat of summer in both greenhouses.

Inside the shade house is a meandering
path that leads through a tropical
garden. The canopy of palms offers
mottled shade to the underplanting of

bromeliads, and many other exotic and

lush foliage plants. When we visited in

June, the outside bitter cold of winter

was forgotten as we strolled around the

area, feeling like we were in a tropical

paradise.

When moving through into the adjacent

plastic house area, there is a separate

double skinned attachment off the end
to house the more sensitive plants.
Although there is no heating system in

place, the air pocket helps protect from

the effects of extremes of the outdoor
temperatures.

The second main greenhouse is entirely
a plastic house. There are tables holding
various bromeliad collections including

vrieseas, and alcantareas. Some Flanagan

ingenuity has provided the structure for
their extensive collection of tillandsias.

Catering for the natural preference of all

round air movement, Robert developed
a practical, functional system that caters
for the needs of both the plants, and the

plants carers.

A neighbour grazes cattle on their
surplus land. After shifting his cattle,

he was walking through their plastic

house, admiring the collection. He

complimented Robert on the design of
the vertical metal screens used to hook

 

the tillandsias and asked him how they
were made. Margaret reminded him he

had just been out in the nearby paddock,

opening and closing the very gates
that are identical to the ones that were
standing high in front of him –elevated

by tall customised metal legs, and

covered in beautiful bromeliads.

The gates offer two sides of galvanised
steel mesh from which numerous
tillandsias can be hung in a space saving
manner. The plants happily enjoy

excellent light, watering and easy access

for maintenance. Chains above prevent
the possibility of the gate stands tipping.

The plastic house has roof vents that
can be opened and closed automatically

depending on the inside temperature, and

fans installed inside to circulate the air if
summer temperatures become excessive.
The overhead watering system functions

on a timer, and is supplemented by hand
watering, to ensure the varying levels of

tillandsias receive an even distribution of
water.

There is night lighting, and in a central

position at the end of the ‘tillandsia

house’, where most of the collection can
be viewed, there is a rather inviting table

and chairs. Obviously an essential place

for development meetings, accompanied

of course by an inspiring glass of good
wine.

Along with the contents of the

greenhouses, numerous treasures have
come from their previous property, and

trucked to their new home. The garden

beds are taking shape, and now hold the

transplanted favourites that could not be
left behind.

It has taken three years to reach this

point. A wonderful achievement, clearly
enjoyed by the lucky owners, and

shared by those of us invited to attend
the June Tillandsia Group meeting held
there. We were all impressed by the

scale and quality of the collection and
development, loved the hospitality, and

can’t wait for the next opportunity to
visit Margaret and Robert’s outstanding
property.

More photos on P20 19

 

20At Margaret and Robert Flanagan’s place…
Aechmea blanchetiana
Tillandsia xerographica

 

 

 

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