Bromelcairns Bimonthly Newsletter of Cairns Bromeliad Society Inc. 2016 # 6 P.O. Box 28 Cairns Queensland 4870 Australia

Honorary Life Member - Grace Goode O.A.M. Honorary Life Member - Kay Edington Life Member - Lynn Hudson Life Member - Robert (Bob) Hudson

******************************************************************** Aims of the Society

Promote and Develop Interest in Bromeliads through Friendship To Co-operate with similar Clubs throughout the World

******************************************************************** Membership Fee: $15 Single, $25 Family, Country Member $25. $7.50 junior (if not in family membership) Meetings start at 1.pm sharp first Saturday of the month. Please bring a cup and a chair. Library: All books & magazines borrowed are to be returned in good order to the following meeting. If not on wait list, they may be rebooked. Plant Display/Sales: To participate, a member must be financial and circumstances permitting, have attended at least three meetings in the past six months. Where the society is charged a stall fee - 20% of sales are deducted for club funds. No charge venue & meetings - 10% of sales is deducted. All plants to be clean, free of disease, named and price tagged. Show Plants: Must be the property of and in the custody of the entrant for the past three months. For Society Shows the entrant must be financial and have attended at least three meetings during the past six months. Pens, Plant Tags & Pots: available at each meeting.

If reprinting article, wholly or in part, please acknowledge Author & Newsletter. Any article &/or Bromelcairns will be Emailed on request to lynnie@ledanet.com.au or lynnhudson@bromeliadsdownunder.wordpress.com

President Brendan Leishman 0740578604 V-President Matt Wilson 0423101857 Secretary Dave Weston 0740578604 Treasurer Kelly Knight 0418768167 Librarian Steven French 0740322283 Editor Lynn Hudson 0740533913 Editor Assist. Jodie Smith 0405022155 Concierge Sharron Miller 0740322283 Pop. Vote Steward Lynn Hudson 0740533913 OIC Raffles Karen Stevens 0740361086 OIC Pots Frances Boyd 0740552550

2 Club Activities & Around the Members NOVEMBER: Wow! Beautiful plants, so many, grown beautifully & all so different. It was a feast of shapes and colouring. Plus there were orthopytum and dyckia in the mini show - well grown plants galore. MINI SHOW – Orthophytum & Dyckia 1st Orthophytum roseum - Brendan Leishman 2nd Orthophytum navioides – Dave Weston 3rd. Orthophytum magalhaesii – Kelly Knight 1st Dyckia ‘Katherine’ - Dave Weston 2nd Dyckia ‘Kadaicha’ – Brendan Leishman 3rd. Dyckia Mr Frosty – Nalda Wilson POPULAR VOTE JUNIOR – Nil entries NOVICE - Nil entries OPEN - Bromeliad 1st. Neoregelia ‘Sabbath’ x ‘Maya’ – Steven French 2nd. Aechmea zebrina – Bernice Mark 3rd. Guzmania ‘Encore’ – Darryl Lister 3rd. Neoregelia ‘Catlan’s Leopard’ - Brendan Leishman Cryptanthus 1st Cryptanthus ‘Thriller – Lynn Hudson 2nd Cryptanthus ‘Anne Collings’ - Dave Weston 3rd. Cryptanthus ‘Volcano’ – Kelly Knight 3rd. Cryptanthus ‘Witchdoctor’ – Brendan Leishman 3rd. Cryptanthus ‘Ebony Beauty’ – Bernice Mark Tillandsia 1st. Tillandsia ‘Lucille’ – Bob Hudson 1st. Tillandsia recurvifolia var. subsicundifolia – Dave Weston 3rd. Tillandsia streptophylla ‘Belize’ – Bob Hudson 3rd. Tillandsia funckiana - Nalda Wilson

1. Neoregelia ‘Sabbath’ x ‘Maya’ grown by Steven is actually a rich apricot colour with random cream splotching, beautiful! 2. Bernice showed Aechmea zebrina it was in spike but not yet flowering. Bernice was surprised that the inflorescence would protrude out over the leaves. 3. Guzmania ‘Encore’ was well grown by Darryl. ‘Symphonie’ sported this larger and well variegated plant at Herb Hill’s Florida nursery. The centre deeply flushes in hot pink-purple, including up the rhachis to the cup of yellow flower bracts. A very attractive plant with almost no damage marks. 4. Neoregelia ‘Catlan’s Leopard’ was rich in colour, with good concentric markings. The base of each leaf appears pinched in, forming a funnel. One of Brendan’s favourites. 5. (on page3) xNeophytum ‘Ralph Davis’ was a bright red almost on fire, and the flowers just about to open, well grown by Paul Venturi. 6. Frances showed a pot overflowing with Neoregelia ‘Annick’, so bright and attractive. Well done Frances.

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xNeophytum ‘Ralph Davis’ 6. Neoregelia ‘Annick’ 7.Neoregelia rosea

Ortho magalhaesii Orthophytum ‘Warren Loose’ Aech.’Dark Goddess’ 7. Neoregelia rosea with a healthy offset protruding from the drain hole, grown by Dave. These plants have coloured up really well this year. Probably the dryer air. Orthophytum magalhaesii grown by Kelly. This plant is very attractive but it tends to be lanky and always needs a stake - in habitat it would just fall on other plants and the offsets would finally grow on the ground. Orthophytum ‘Warren Loose’ “left to its own devices” shown by Frances - it had four flowering heads, some of the offsets were ready to grow alone.

^‘Witch Doctor’ ‘Ebony Beauty’

<‘Anne Collings’ <‘Volcano’

The cryptanthus were beautiful, Dave’s ‘Anne Collings’ was perfect and these three tied for third place.

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Then there were the tillandsias …… 9 of them There was a tie for first, then a tie for third! Bob and Dave tied with ‘Lucille’ and recurvifolia var. subsicundifolia. We saw the beautiful ‘Lucille’ last month but this recurvifolia was new to us - wot a ripper plant, I hope we have a meeting when it is flowering! Then Nalda gave Bob’s streptophylla ‘Belize’ a nudge with a beautiful funckiana.. T.’Lucille’; recurvifolia var. subsicundifolia; streptophylla ‘Belize’; funckiana

There was more - Nalda’s ‘Curly Slim’& captiata, Bren’s fuschii, & Paul’s capitata. <‘Curly Slim’

capitata fuschii var. fuschii

flexuosa Beautiful plants , well grown and well presented - our two visitors were impressed! And there was more - the Orthophytum & Dyckia Mini Show and Greg had a show and tell for us. ** **************************************************************** **

Thank You Brendan for the photographs . Without them we we would not have the pictorial record or be able to share with other bromeliad lovers around Oz & the World .

2016 POPULAR VOTE, CAIRNS & MINI SHOW RESULTS Popular Vote

NOVICE Bromeliad - Bromeliads & Logs Trophy [This Trophy not awarded as no member had three entries during the year]

Cryptanthus - Grace Goode Silver Ingot Trophy - Maurice Anderson Tillandsia - Bromeliads & Logs Trophy - Maurice Anderson OPEN Bromeliad - 2002 WBC Florida Sundial Trophy - Dave Weston

Cryptanthus - Grace Goode Trophy - Lynn Hudson Tillandsia - Bob Hudson Trophy - Bob Hudson

2016 Most Points 2016 – Dave Weston - Bob Hudson Trophy Congratulations to the winners who get to dust a Trophy for a year.

Remember your peers voted you The Best. Total Points - Society + Cairns Show Dave Weston 72+55=127, Lynn Hudson 29+31=60,

Brendan Leishman 39.83 +14=53.83, Bob Hudson 20+24=44, Steven French 28+14=42, Maurice Anderson 28+0=28, Kelly Knight 8.83+8=16.83, Paul Morris 11+0=11, Nalda Wilson 6+3.5=9.5, Jodie Smith 6+0=6, Paul Venturi 5.5+0=5.5, Chrystal Venturi 4.5+0=4.5, Marguerite Sexton 4.5+0=4.5, Gail Taifalos 4.5+0=4.5, Darryl Lister 4+0=4, Sharron Miller 3+0=3, Leilani Morris 3+0=3, Bernice Mark 2.33+0=2.33, Frances Boyd 2+0=2, Glen Jodner 1+0=1 Congratulations to each member who ‘had a go’ & entered plants Each Entrant is a Winner. Well Done each of you.

Points allotted in Popular Vote, Mini Shows & Cairns Show are 3 points for first, 2 for second and 1 for third = 6 total. Ties are shared as fractions - if three tie for first each gets 2 points = 6 total and no other points allotted.

6 Orthophytum & Dyckias

Orthophytums roseum, magalhaesii, gerkenii, roseum, ‘Warren Loose’, navioides, burle-marxii Orthophytum mostly have succulent type leaves but some are thin and spined as in navioides and burle-marxii. They flatten and produce a centre cluster of flowers. Dave grew a very attractive Orthophytum roseum - offsets start green then slightly thicken and grow to 40cm, they gracefully arch and become red. Orthophytum navioides has been widely used to make many intergeneric XNeophytum. This succulent type form a rachis where clumps of flower bracts form and finally become offsets. These get heavy and bend - in habitat to reach the earth and become another plant. Offsets also form from the base of the plant. Dyckia - except for ‘Naked Lady’ dyckia are extremely spiny. I use pointed nosed pliers to remove dead leaves and separate offsets. They offset easily to form a tight clump and flower on a long stalk, mostly yellow or orange bell shaped. They self pollinate, each flower setting 3 seed pods with oodles of flat seeds packed in like ‘Pringle Chips’. Dyckia estevesii does not grow in a circle but is fan-shaped as in the picture below by Bob Spivey with Dyckia ‘Katherine’left and Dyckia ‘Kadaichia’ right//

7 What are other Growers Doing?? The following article caught my eye on Planet Tillandsia - as we head into summer and complain about the heat - other growers are fighting winter. I contacted Julien and was certainly surprised at his endeavours - even if you do not speak or read French, you will be enthralled by his website - his ideas and plans and also the wonderful photography. Julien has a baby son and lives in Nancy working at Jardins botaniques du Grand Nancy et de l'Université de Lorraine. This is the picture. Following the picture is his notation; then his answer to me

November 2016: First frost these past days, it's time for me to try the third version of my giant horticultural structure. On it, more than 300 different taxa, almost all the plants I grow outside during summer (indeed, all my usneoides stay outside yet, until the hard frost). The other part stays in my terrariums during all the year. ***I’m glad to receive a message of a bromeliad society member and to know that my work could interest you - I know and regularly consult "Bromeliads in Australia". Yes you can do an article including my work. It is true that it looks easier to grow tillandsia in some tropical countries. Even with the alternation between hot summer and cold winter in France, with my horticultural structures and my terrariums, I can grow grow (almost ?) every botanical taxa of Tillandsia genus. I say that, because I know many people who live in tropical countries/areas, where it is too hot and wet to grow all tillandsia (as species of Phytarhiza subgenus for example).

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One of my goals is to grow every taxa of the tillandsia genus. I work in a personal way on offsets induction and I use my results to get pups quickly. I use this on rare/hard to grow taxa. I also work about "hard hybridations” - with phylogenetically distant parentages - trying to make unknown or "impossible" hybrids. I have made a website about epiphytic plants (Tillandsia and Phalaenopsis) and "how grow them" to help people in France. The website contains many tips, articles and pictures. I am also preparing a book. Here is some links from my website which could interests you : tropi-qualite.fr The pictures gallery : http://www.tropi-qualite.fr/?page_id=21#mes_tillandsia The page which presents my different ways of growing : http://www.tropi-qualite.fr/?page_id=34 The botanical presentation of Tillandsia : http://www.tropi-qualite.fr/?page_id=51 // **** **************** **************** **************** **************** **** Thank You Julien. Whenever I see a young person really involved with Bromeliaceae I know that a love affair will continue through their life and embellish other lives. Excellent! Lynn **********************************************************************************************************

19th Australian Conference March 31 to April 2 2017 sunnybroms.com Are You Going?? Readers who have attended just one Australian Conference before will not really be concentrating at the moment - their minds have just flashed to great memories which they will own forever and quietly peruse to warm their hearts. Faces of old friends, new friends, beautiful bromeliads and lots of other good stuff. Do not miss Registration Night, the air is filled with excitement, the anticipation of seeing old friends and meeting new ones. It is noisy and very happy, there are shrieks and cuddles, it is just MAGIC. As Bruce Purdie of New Zealand said “Once you get them together you cannot stop them from having a good time”. There are bromeliads on display and first release bromeliads for sale, Speakers who usually discuss subjects in language even the novice can understand and usually wrapped in a lot of humour. There are question times during the proceedings and a chance to pick the “gurus” brains even when not in sessions. There are optional Trips, Raffles, Show, and an Auction (often with a rare plant or two). I urge you to decide to go. You will not be disappointed, you will learn lots, see and make some very special friends and take away wonderful memories. The organising is a huge job and the committee have been working hard. I have been told it is too expensive - you have to be joking!! In one place you will be able to meet, talk to and listen to Chester Skotak from Costa Rica; Eloise Beach & Theresa Bert from Florida; Jocelyn & Peter Coyle from New Zealand plus George Stamatis, Peter Tristram & Bruce Dunstan from Oz - how much would it cost for you to visit them - IF you could??? Registration also includes your lunch. Do not be one of those who ‘wishes’ after it is over. You will create happy memories that will never leave you. Commit to GO and look forward to a wonderful time. Complete your Registration Form at sunnybroms.com

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Sowing Tillandsia Seed by Dr Richard Oeser, 1966 For the past few years I have used bundles of pine branches on which to sow my tillandsia seed. In particular I have found that Thuja branches, from which I have removed the needles, to be excellent. First, I bundle together two pencil-thick branches (with all side branches); they should be about 20 inches long. These serve as a means of attachment. It is important that an inch-wide end piece is left at the bottom and at the top to serve as a sort of handle. These two original branches should then be surrounded with more thin twigs until the compressed bundle has a diameter of approximately one inch.

In the middle and near both ends the bundle should be tightly bound together together with a wire and the loose ends trimmed with a scissors. Now the dry bundle can be planted with dried tillandsia seed. To avoid later annoyance, care should be taken to distribute the seeds evenly over the twigs. Care at this point should be taken, as the seed will stick only to the rough parts of the bundle, and any movement of air will blow the seeds off. Winding the bundles with very thin wire every half inch will press the seeds a little tighter and tighten in particular the small branches so that the whole bundle will become more compact. Attachment of the seeds to the twigs only takes place after the whole bundle has been sprayed lightly with water. Through this method the single seeds attach themselves to the wood and do not fall off - even when the bundle is soaked in water.

Finally, a stronger wire should be attached at the top end so that the bundle can be hung in the greenhouse. Half shade is desirable. I have given up the use of fungicides. Placing the seeds in a closed container with high humidity will always lead to disappointment. As I believe I should grow my seeds in a situation similar to that found in nature, I do not sterilize the seeds, as in nature there is no sterilization.

The seedlings are soaked daily in good rain water to which I add a small amount of fertilizer. On warm, sunny days, I soak the seedlings several times, and when the other plants in the greenhouse are being sprayed, then I spray the seedlings also.

The windows are opened if the temperature allows. The humidity should vary between 90-100% (when sprayed) and 20-30% (with open window, wind, and sunshine). In other words, no special care need be given to the seedlings. They grow under the same conditions as the full grown plants but should be protected from direct sunshine.//

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Stolen Pickings from Here & There! Query from just south of Brisbane: I have just noticed I’ve lost 2 Aechmea blanchetiana today. They were only offsets about 40cm and one had small amount of roots the other had none. They were under a big gum tree, in full sun until about 10/11am then dappled shade until noon, then shade. I had planted them in rocks only and had not often watered. We have had a few hot days here (41 degrees). They have been in this spot for 8 weeks. How long does it take for the centre to rot like this? (My immediate thought was “How long would you survive this treatment?”) Sharon Lee: Not sure how long it would take but the bacteria that causes the rot thrives in low oxygen & hot/warm water carries less oxygen. I flush my bromeliad wells with cool water in the afternoon on hot days, making sure it moves/bubbles to help incorporate extra air (I usually water with finger over end, no nozzle). ******* ******* ******* ******* By Chris Larson; Pollen storage I was talking with a friend the other day who had been talking to a well know hybridist. He told me of a couple of points in his conversation. The gist of one of his conversations was this: Apparently species which have inhibitors to self pollination do so generally because the pollen has a memory, so that the plant will not receive its’ own pollen. If the pollen is stored in the fridge for 24 hours, it can be removed the following day from the fridge and used to pollinate the flower, or the next flower that opens – as the memory does not last that length of time. There are obviously a range of variables from species to species if this principle occurs, but I was wondering if any others had heard of this, tried this system, or know of others that have? Alternately I may have something wrong in the Chinese whisper. ************************************************************************************************************************************

Comments about last issue: Geoff Lawn: Thanks for yet another interesting issue.Julie Barry: Glad I could contribute. Thank you, another great newsletter.Trinette Reichers, South Australia: Thanks Lynn, beaut photos, interesting reading and funny too! I loved reading the statistics about the Amazon River and rainforest and our Daintree Rainforest too, many thanks! We still have winter temp. at night, like 5C last night.John Byth: Another one well done! Thank you very much. I especially liked the Rainforest Magic stories of the Amazon and Daintree. I had never realised that the Daintree was so big. (Most of us didn’t Prof!) Olive & Harry Frakking: Loved last Bromelcairns, all good stuff. I hear you are also writing in your local newspaper - so proud of you Sis. ********************************************************************************************************************* Nothing just happened or just gets done, Someone has to make it happen or do it.

11* The Irish have solved their own fuel problems. They imported 50 Million tonnes of sand from the Arabs and they're going to drill for their own oil.* What kind of key opens a banana? A monkey* Why don’t oysters share their pearls? Because they are shellfish.* What do you call a monkey with a banana in each ear? Anything you want, it cannot hear you.

* What do you call a frog with no hind legs? Unhoppy.* What do you get if you cross a centipede and a parrot? A walkie-talkie.* Why did the monkey like the banana? Because it had appeal.* Where do fish keep their money? In a river bank.* What do you call an owl with a deep voice? A growl.* Which fish is the most famous? The starfish.* What is the difference between a cat & a comma? One has claws at the end of its paws, the other has pause at the end of its clause.

* Why do fish live in salt water? Because pepper makes them sneeze.* Why does a dog wag his tail? Because no one can wag it for him.* There were 10 cats in a boat & one jumped out. How many were left? None because they were copycats.

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Wishing Each of You & Yours a Safe & Happy Christmastime & really Great Growing, Busy, Healthy & Happy Year for 2017

Hudson’s Bromeliads Down Under Bromeliads & Tillandsias Bob & Lynn Hudson ABN 66 951 932 976

47 Boden St. Edge Hill Cairns Phone: (07) 40533 913 043752241 email: lynnie@ledanet.com.au www.bromeliadsdownunder.wordpress.com ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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“Sunny Broms” March 31st - April 2nd 2017 19th Australian Bromeliad Conference

Hosted by the Sunshine Coast Bromeliad Society Inc. Good Company, Interesting Guest Speakers from Oz & Overseas.

Great Plants - many NEW releases For all information - their website Sunnybroms.com Plan NOW to Attend

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“Bromeliad Cultivation Notes” by Lynn Hudson A little how-to book. Cultivation made easy. Basics in language anyone can follow

John Catlan’s notes -“Bromeliads Under the Mango Tree”A ‘must have’ book to help you think and grow your bromeliads better. Booklet prepared & printed by Lynn Hudson Both available in bulk at reduced price. Contact Lynn on 07 40533913 or lynnie@ledanet.com.au or www.bromeliadsdownunder.wordpress.com

Cairns Lovebirds - bred by Karen Stevens 6 Alabama Street, Whiterock, Qld 4868 Phone 0419021302 bpklstevens@bigpond.com