Very Neat looking plants Aaron!!

My mom is bringing back two airplants from
Florida... can't wait.. I'll have to see if
any of those match up to what she brings home

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Weezie

Don't forget to be kind to strangers. For some who have
done this have entertained angels without realizing it.
- Bible - Hebrews 13:2





http://photobucket.com/albums/y250/weezie13/

I have brought many from San Francisco and Puerto Rico and have never been able to keep them alive.

Give us some hints.

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http://www.flickr.com/photos/audwoman/

If you want the rainbow you have to put up with the rain!!

quote:

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Originally posted by cinta:
I have brought many from San Francisco and Puerto Rico and have never been able to keep them alive.

Give us some hints.

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watering is a must... many people get the wrong picture... when they hear "air plant" everyone thinks air is all they need... that simply isnt enough... frequent watering and fertilizing will maximize growth... many tillandsias grow in dry-forest regions... with frequent rain and warm temps or gentle breezes to dry them off... to fend off bacterial infections or fungal attacks... these two will quickly kill any tillandsia... the most common culprit indoors is suprisingly enough... MILDEW!!! which once tillandsias are introduced indoors becomes a magnet for this quick-growing fungus... many people see the very dry leaves and feel impelled to water frequently... keeping your tillandsias wet for too long give ample time for mildew to reproduce and kill your plant... or they keep the plant too wet and literally suffocate the poor thing... remember tillandsias both take in water AND air through thier leaves... just like humans we cant both breath and drink/eat at the same time... we have to make time for only one or the other... since may tillandsias originate from lands much closer to the equator these plants need a very balanced day/ night or photoperiod... the best way to combat this is to set up gorw lights to come on as soon as the sun sets, during the shorter winter months... tillandsias are highly evolved BUT simple plants... they have adapted to nearly every environmental condition in central and south america... so many may need alot of water and some can grow right with cacti... with very little water... the best key to remember is green-leafed tillys need more water and grey "ashy" leafed tillys need little water... let me know if you have any more questions...

--Aaron

but ultimately a specific tillandsia must be investigated into to find its preferences...

Hi Aaron,

We have a bromeliad at home - not sure which one. The leaves are massive compared to those - very wide, dark green, quite long, and prickly along the outside. There was a pink flower on it (I think) when we got it (mum was given it as a present) but that was a few years ago and it hasn't bloomed since. Any ideas how we can get it to bloom?

Thanks,

Em

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"Alcohol, the cause and solution to all of life's problems" - Homer Simpson

Aaron, most of your plants in the pics, you're either holding or they're just laying on something for the exception of one that is in a pot. Where do you put them, do you pot them, or do you just leave them laying on something???

I tried to grow one a long time ago but it died. I think it was mounted on a piece of driftwood.

It it enough to just mist them, or do they need a little pool of water like a pot? They obviously don't need potting soil, do they??

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http://photobucket.com/albums/y103/SeptMorn/

Emma Rose,

Your Bromeliad is an Aechmea fasciata, one of the most popular in the Bromeliad family.

Getting the offset to bloom takes time and patience and usually several years. Provide lots of bright light with a few hours of direct sun each day. Keep it potbound. Professional growers have learned that exposure to ethylene gas helps to promote flower production. If you place your mature Bromeliad in a plastic bag along with a ripe apple (source of ethylene gas) for about a week to 10 days, this may promote a flower 1 to 2 months later. Note: Make sure there is no water in the cup when you place it in the plastic bag or rot will develop.

Let me know if this is unclear.

Will Creed
Interior landscaper

glad you liked the photos, i have a bunch more.

They do a great job of growing there.

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The Buglady
Suzanne Wainwright-Evans, www.bugladyconsulting.com
Educating the world... one bug at a time

quote:

---

Originally posted by SeptemberMorn:
Aaron, most of your plants in the pics, you're either holding or they're just laying on something for the exception of one that is in a pot. Where do you put them, do you pot them, or do you just leave them laying on something???

I tried to grow one a long time ago but it died. I think it was mounted on a piece of driftwood.

It it enough to just mist them, or do they need a little pool of water like a pot? They obviously don't need potting soil, do they??

---

the majority of tillandsias, do not need to be potted... they are highly advanced plants that have the ability to efficiently absorb water through the leaves... and because of this the roots only function is to "anchor" the plant to a host (these plant are not pasasitic)

watering, many need to be misted until dripping wet... and allow to dry completely, the rest may need a small pool of CLEAN water sitting in the middle ( i.e. T. fasiculata)

I dont like to mount my tillandsias on drift wood... i just prop them up in a pot so their leaves dont break or get folded...

let me know if i can answer any other questions

--AARON

quote:

---

Originally posted by Will Creed:
Emma Rose,

Your Bromeliad is an Aechmea fasciata, one of the most popular in the Bromeliad family.

Getting the offset to bloom takes time and patience and usually several years. Provide lots of bright light with a few hours of direct sun each day. Keep it potbound. Professional growers have learned that exposure to ethylene gas helps to promote flower production. If you place your mature Bromeliad in a plastic bag along with a ripe apple (source of ethylene gas) for about a week to 10 days, this may promote a flower 1 to 2 months later. Note: Make sure there is no water in the cup when you place it in the plastic bag or rot will develop.

Let me know if this is unclear.

Will Creed
Interior landscaper

---

WOW how did you know this was an Aechmea???
Emma Rose said the plant had PINK flowers Aechmea Fasciata has LAVENDER/ BLUEISH flowers and NON-serrate leaves with only a terminating thorn-like growth... Emma said the leaves where serrate along the edges...
i try to discourage many people from using the ethlyene gas techniques... this process will rush the plant and will result in smaller flower spikes and fewer flowers... this also exhasuts the plant and offsetting will be interrupted...

Aaron,

It is important to understand what people mean not what they actually write. When Emma referred to pink flowers, she was describing the pink bracts that are much more noticeable than the purple flowers. Most folks do not make the distinction that you do between the bract portion of the inflorescence and the actual flowers. In addition, A. fasciata leaves have spiny edges that may not technically be serrated, but it is clear that was what Emma was referring to.

Finally, I would note that plant hobbyists who have only one or two Bromeliads may want to try using the ethylene gas just to accomplish a re-bloom and are not so concerned about the technical aspects to which you referred.

quote:

---

Originally posted by Will Creed:
Aaron,

It is important to understand what people mean not what they actually write. When Emma referred to pink flowers, she was describing the pink bracts that are much more noticeable than the purple flowers. Most folks do not make the distinction that you do between the bract portion of the inflorescence and the actual flowers. In addition, A. fasciata leaves have spiny edges that may not technically be serrated, but it is clear that was what Emma was referring to.

Finally, I would note that plant hobbyists who have only one or two Bromeliads may want to try using the ethylene gas just to accomplish a re-bloom and are not so concerned about the technical aspects to which you referred.

---

well i am not attempting to try to interpret what Emma wrote (i am not a mind reader, neither are you)... and i have never seen A. Fasiata with serrate leaves (other than the terminal spine)and i've worked at a nursery ive seen hundreds and i have my own sitting on my desk... there is obviously a misunderstanding... may be its a Neoregelia many have both pinkish blush, and some with pink flowers... AND the leaves are serrate all the way...

besides you dont have to defend your tips to use ethylene gas... i am stating my opinion of what i find to be negative side effects.... ultimately the action lies with the owner of the plant weather they want a poor quality plant, or something they can be proud of...

--Aaron

quote:

---

Originally posted by angelblossom:
Aaron The Tri-color till I got at the Dallas show.. It hasn't bloomed yet but the bud looks fine my question is,, The tips of the leaves are browning. curling and drying (about an inch ) HELP! Do I need to move it or does this happen when they continuely'brush up against' a wall or object where it's sitting?..

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um... no, it may be shock all our tillandsias are grown in humid greenhouses... many tillandsias do this when introduced into a VERY DRY HOUSE (mines the same way)... if it doesnt stop and if entire leaves are drying up fast and falling off, then the plant may not be getting enough water try soaking longer BUT make sure to dry it off... dont worry NO ONE gets the process right the first time when growing tillandsias... it takes some experimenting.. keep me up dated...

--AARON

Thanks for answering my question. My bromelid has a baby growing next to it. It seems complicated for a beginner like me to get these plants to bloom again. Maybe I should try something easier.

Maya,

Bromeliad offsets are often reluctant bloomers as houseplants, but it is not that complicated and is worth a try. Yours may bloom without your doing much more than care for it as you have cared for the mother plant.

Don't let the technical stuff discourage you.

Becky I've been looking for him for a while now!! I haven't seen Him here since his last post in this thread!! I sure miss Him, He sure knew His Brom's I think I may have to look him up thru the Dallas Brom society as he's a member there Well I think He still is I PM'd him a looooooong time ago!!
Still not read I wonder what happened to him// Last I talked to him He was speaking of possibly building a green house for Broms and Carniv',,,
That must be one HUUUUUGE green house he's working ON

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Sorrow looks back, Worry looks around, Faith looks up!
http://photobucket.com/albums/e374/2thtek/

Becky!!! Good News!!!

I tried the # again *just incase I dialed wrong previously*
I got hold of his dad!
Aaron has been verrrrry Busy with a couple of Big jobs to care for I left my # and a plea to get on the GH and answer a couple of questions Here,, His Father said He'd relay the Message, So hopefully we'll get a Pop-in from Aaron!!

I think He'll probably first look in Cactus and succulant thread First if you post your question there you'll have a better chance of him seeing it there first!

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Sorrow looks back, Worry looks around, Faith looks up!
http://photobucket.com/albums/e374/2thtek/

Aaron, I'm just wondering about the best way to take the pups off the parent plants? How long can they stay on the parent? I have 4 various types of broms and they all have pups. Some could come off the parent, the parent is getting pretty brown and dried out and the bract (is that the right word?) fell off. This one is Tillandsia cyanea.
Others that I have are Aechmea fasciata, Guzmania lingulata and another that I don't know what it is, maybe another Guzmania lingulata.
Can they stay on the parent till it completely dies?

Thanks for the help Aaron, and welcome back!

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"As long as there are tests,
there will be prayer in public schools"
- Maxine