Sandi, don't make the mistake of buying generic broms without labels. Later on you might actually want to k now what you have. I just bid on a bunch of broms on Ebay and expect to have them tomorrow. They're pups and inexpensive but they grow very fast into full sized plants.

And Hap, long time no see. We're doing fine here. Work keeps us young. I need to be able to go out to greet my plants in the morning. They are always happy and smile at me. Couldn't even imagine living in a prison of four walls called a condo.

Fred

Fred, I don't think I have many that I bought. We have a very active garden club. At each mtg, members bring plants to donate as door prizes. There are usually some bromeliads without names. That's how I started out "collecting" them. I like the colors, that they don't require too much care, and reward me with such long lasting blooms. If I really get "into them" I'll make sure I get an ID. They're handling the heat here better than I expected (103).
This is my last orphan to take home from a mtg

Nice plant with a bug pup. I just came back from another brom buying trip. I missed out on ebay as these last second bidders always get away with it. I don't know how they act so fast at the last possible second. Anyway, I had arranged to pick up my 6 winners and mentioned that I missed out on a bunch. Well, I got them much cheaper in person. So I made out fine.

Good for you! Glad you got the broms at an even better price. I see you've found the microbadges too!

My catch of the day:

Neoregelia 'Margaret'
Neoregelia 'H.L. Clarice' F2
Neoregelia 'Guinea'
Neoregelia 'Rosanna'
Neoregelia 'Kahala Dawn'
Aechmea blanchetiana var.
Billbergia leptopoda
Neoregelia 'Green Apple Golden Delicious'
Aechmea Bert Variegata (2x)
Neoregelia Carcharodon Tiger
Neoregelia 'Mystic'
Neoregelia 'Dark Tiger'
Neoregelia 'Spotted Tiger'
Neoregelia 'Princess Di'
Aechmea Mulfordii 'rubra'

Fred...you have to come over here...David Shigi has some of the most incredible broms!!! I have a mess of them and will get some photos...but they are a mixed joy as they breed mosquitos and the noisy invasive coqui frog lives in them and....I grow them anyway and try to remember to spray BTI!!! I really love them!!!

Carol, when I look around on ebay at nice plants, the best are always from Hawaii. I haven't gotten any from that far away but soon er or later I will break down.

Now that we have a brom microbadge I might as well post a few pics.
Neo. 'Walking Tall' and Neo. 'High Voltage'


Neo. 'Milago'and Neo. 'Yang'


Neo. 'Orange Crush' and Aechmea 'Bert' in one of my Live Oak trees


and one final Neoregelia which I really like. It's a special plant named after the wife of the Tropiflora owner in Sarasota: 'Linda Carthart'

Fred....do you know the name of this one....?

Oh my Carol. That's a beauty. Let me ask on Planet Bromeliad on FB.

My first reaction was some kind of giant vriesea. If you can send me a full size picture to [email protected] it may help to ID it a little closer.

Carol, so far no mosquitos from my broms here. Lots of little flies and socalled noseeums though. I spray my legs when I go out there to pull weeds and all is well.

answers are coming in: "very pretty Vriesea!!! Looks like a 'Kiwi' hybrid????"

Thanks!!!

I spray BTI on my brommies when I remember...it's a bacteria that eats larvae....might work for the gnats, too?

I have too many to mess with. They're all in the ground and pretty much on their own anyway. Further news has it that it might be: "Looks like one of David Shiigi's hybrids." Whoever David Shiigi is.

I would call it a vriesea hybris and leave it at that. I have quite a number of broms that could be any number of hybrids. They are so close to one another that evebn experts or growers can't tell. It's similar to orchids.

btw the little buggers that make my legs itch, are everywhere, not just by the bromeliads. We have a lanai over the deck and pool area that has a very tight mesh which prevents the buggers from getting through. Otherwise we wouldn't need the cage. For whatever reason these things hang low on the ground and only byte in that region.

I have more broms in my never finished picture file: http://www.facebook.com/media/...

Carol, apparently you bromeliad came from http://www.facebook.com/royann...

Carol, people are ooohing and ahhing over that plant and want to know it's age. Do you know?

i agree Jack, it is so beautiful

Michael Lyall Wow any idea of its age looks like its been around for a while. love it

Lo res pic but it could also be gigantea v seideliana (Nova).

OH...I got that plant at the BIAN sale, spring sale, about 4 years ago I would say. It is the sale of the Big Island Association of Nurserymen (and women)....the best of the finest is put on sale to the public...everything from fruit trees/orchids/succulents/ornamentals/palms etc.etc.etc. I always work Friday night helping a friend out (.....and....get a preview of everything before the public comes in. It is a special sale and a must for anyone wanting to see what the wholesale nurseries have to offer.

Better yet...is to visit the nurseries before the sale!!!!! David Shigi and his family are amazing.

EDIT- I think that brommie must be about 3 years old. I used to have that whole area full of them....until I murdered them all! Yep...'foliar' fed Miracle Gro on the whole shebang and they all went 'pau' (finished).... Starting all over again....

GM Fred and all,

Perhaps you have fleas in the yard? It sounds like it.

Your broms are outstanding.

Hap

Carol, I got the definitive word on that vriesia from a grower.

"I'm sure it's Vr gigantea v seideliana (Vr Nova) grown hard, or a hybrid with lots of it in it."

By grown hard he means lots of sun. I have a couple Vriesia 'nova' but they are nowhere near your size just yet.



One is having a hard time adjusting to direct sun and has a few burns but they will adjust. Coming from the growers they always sit under shade houses but in real life some sun always gets through. I also have a Vriesia 'Red Chestnut' which not yet in my catalog of pictures. It too has some sunburn.
fred