SEPTEMBER NEWSLETTER

What's Happened and What's Happening

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Contents

Success at the RNA Show.

Notes on last meeting:
Plant of the Month.
Guest Speaker Michael Grange on Alcantareas.
Plant Competition Results.
Responses to Member Survey.
Notices
Beginner's Day change of date to Saturday 23 October.

Editor Maxim Wilson.

Notes of the meeting Thursday 17.8.17
John Olsen, Vice President opened the meeting.
Barry Kable was tied up with the RNA Show.

The RNA Show Display by our team lead by Amanda Meads and her students, won the Mabel Burnett Shield for The Most Effective Display in The Pavilion at The RNA Show. Also won First Prize in The Horticultural Section. Also involved in this success were Peter Ball, Barry Kable, Denise McLean, and others.

Amanda Meads with Awards for a brilliant display.

Costa seems happy with our great display.

Plant of The Month Topic was
Rare Genera with Glenn Bernoth.
Glenn defined rare genera as those with 10
species or less.
There are about 18 such genera, although some species mentioned were grown by members in the audience.
He illustrated his talk with photos.

Guest Speaker - Michael Grange spoke on Alcantareas.

Bruce Dunstan introduced Michael who is a professional horticulturist since 1999. He tutored at Caboolture T.A.F.E. early in his career. He spent some time in orchids, later worked at Greenstock Nursery where serious propagation of Alcantareas was done, in association with Bruce.
He also has expertise in trees.

Alcantarea gets its name from Dom Pedro d'Alcântara, the second Emperor or Brazil.
Since Alcantareas grow extensively on the side of lofty insulbergs in Brazil, Michael endeavoured to simulate these conditions to maximise production.
Michael discussed individual species and cultivars.

1.Alcantarea imperialis includes several cultivars given names. They can be made to flower in seven years, in contrast to twenty years in the wild. The downside of earlier flowering is the death of the plant and its usefulness as a landscape attraction. The earlier flowering is in part due to our warmer winters but also regular fertilising and watering. Under his method of cultivation, he found that our warmer winters extended the flowering duration of Alcantarea imperialis
There was extensive careful pollination by hand producing thousands of seedlings. However, with Alcantarea rubra, this yielded 6 different varieties, indicating instability of the species phenotype. There was the hunt for sports (or mutations)

2.Al imperialis pupureae has broad strap-like leaves which are deep purple to maroon colour on both sides all year round.
The best time to hand pollinate the bloom is before dawn.

3. Alcantarea 'Skotak' has wide leaves, purple/pink. It was imported by Peter Tristram.

4. Alcantarea imperialis 'Purple Skotak' seed came from C. Skotak, Costa Rica. Grown and named by P Tristram.

Alcantarea imperialis 'Purple Skotak' forms a purple rosette
up to 2m diameter.

Another Alcantarea imperialis
'Purple Skotak'.

5.Alcantarea 'Arno' is a smaller version of purpureae, good if you are after something smaller. Originates from Andrew Steen in New Zealand.

6.Alcantarea imperialis 'Silver Plum' is his favourite, with its beautiful urn shape. It is sought after, it's colour fades in 40°C.

7.Alcantarea 'Landsendt Blue Grey' (is on BCR) has yellow bracts and creamy white petals, is a form of imperialis, and spike can reach 3m. Landsendt is a nursery near Auckland and has produced several beautiful cultivars.

8.Alcantarea brasiliana. This colossal green bromeliad with broad corrugated leaves is very popular, has long-lasting flowers.
Dimensions: 2.0m X 1.5m.
Flower: creamy yellow flowers with pinkie red bracts on a spike to 2m lasting 12 months on the plant.
Foliage: is a deep green with slight mottling, very wide corrugated leaves.
Uses: Wonderful feature or large container plant that contrasts well against feature walls in strong colours, or for defining larger gardens.

9.Alcantarea imperialis variegate has leaves with a long white central stripe, with a pink tinge. Only one in fifty hair pups has the variegation. Variegation seen in the pup can fade. This is not yet into commercial production.

10.Alcantarea imperialis rubra

11. Alcantarea heloise. The outer half of the leaves are deep red. Culture of these are very sensitive to conditions which can cause variation in appearance. For best results, they must be grown hard - full sun, reduced fertiliser and water, with repotting each two years.

12. Alcan nahoumii has several forms, with attractive yellow 'day' flowers.
Cutting off the inflorescence stimulates the production of many pups.

13. Alcantarea odorata ex-Bak.
In the warmer weather, scurf can obscure variegation.

14. Alcan extensa is variable with several named cultivars.
Those with black tips were called edmundoi

15. Alcantarea geniculata
Glistening, slender green leaves and a clustering habit define this unusual variation. A more petite plant, it is excellent as a filler and boasts golden flowers on a tall, candy pink spike.

16. Alc. 'Grace' is the oldest Alc. in Australia. Registered by Arno King (our July speaker)
Although within the parameters of imperialis in the broad sense, it is worthy of a cultivar name. Seed came to Australia in the 1960's from Brazil and since then, not only offsets but seedlings have been distrubited to cloud the issue but all have sufficient similarities to be recognised as 'Grace'. It seems smaller in height and width, and height of inflorescence than the typical imperialis. It has long attenuate leaves suggesting a similarity to "blokii" now treated as a synonym of imperialis.

17. Alc. 'Imbe' is now called australiana , although still 'Imbe' on the BCR.
It has a stunning black scape
This supposed "cultivar" Alc. 'Imbe' has been grown in Australia since the 1990s, raised from seed collected in Brazil, originating from the region Imbe, Rio Grande do Sol State.
However, after years of field studies on the genus by Brazilian botanists and with Rob Smythe (of Townsville) on Alc. Imbe, this taxon is now classified and described as Alc. australiana.

Michael also covered :

Alc. glaziouana 'Pink Bract'
Alc. burle marxii
Alc. 'Bobby Powell'
Alc. geniculata
Alc. vinicolor 'Hawaiian Red', everyone's favourite!
Alc. 'Vampira' which is disputed, some believing it to be 'Divine Plum'
Alc. 'Wardell's Orange', is it Alc. patriae ?

Michael's talk was very comprehensive, introducing varieties new and familiar.
Many thanks for a stimulating presentation.

In response to our Members Survey,
The following decisions were made by the committee:
We encourage the selling of non-bromeliad plants.
Meeting Times will not change, and continue on the third Thursday of each month,
7pm Practical Class on odd-numbered months,
7:30pm Main Meeting commences,
9:30pm meeting ends.
More frequent Practical Classes will be planned for 2018.
Guest speakers on non-Bromeliad topics will be permitted.
There was support for Study Days for Genera other than Tillandsias.
If you would like to organise one, speak to Barry Kable or John Olsen.

Notices:
Winner of the Prize Draw at our EKKA Display was Candi Kelly.
Prize is $100 worth of bromeliads.

SPRING SHOW is on again at the Table Tennis Centre, 86 Green Street, Windsor.
Dates are Sat/Sunday 11/12 November 2017.
Friday Setup is from 10:00am.
Competition plants in by 12:30pm.
Judging starts 1:30pm.
Sellers aim to finish by 5:00pm.
Members are asked to bring in bromeliads for Amanda to fashion her Display.

Autumn Show 2018 is on 14/15 April at
Genesis College, Bray Park ( yes! A two day show!)

A Back To Basics Day will be held at Greg and Narelle Aizlewood's home at 15 Royal Palm Drive, Steiglitz on Saturday 21 October (change of date).
Start 9:00 to 9:30am until midday.
Home phone 55461161. Mobile 0418193628.
Members will need to bring a chair and a plate for morning tea.
Lunch will be provided - a sausage sizzle.
Please call to confirm your attendance to help with catering.
This meeting targets newer members.
The programme includes different genera, potting and propagating, growing from seed, fertilizing and pest control.
Entry is by a gold coin donation to go towards the Golden Broms Conference in 2018.

Popular Vote Results.
Novice
1. Tillandsia bulbosa from Sharon Born.

2. Tillandsia recurvata 'Bronze Age' from Sharon Born.

Intermediate
1. Tillandsia streptophylla from John Olsen.

2. Billbergia 'Betty Bay Norty Norm' from Maxim Wilson.

Advanced
1. Tillandsia sprengeliana from Bruce Dunstan.

2. Crypanthus 'Black Mood' from Barbara McCune.
2. Till streptophylla x brachycaulis x Till stricta x gardneri from Ron Jell.

Decorative Display
1. 'Genuine Mexican Border' from Ron Jell.

2. 'A Cup of Tea Anyone?' from Sharon Born.

Aechmea recurvata 'Bronze Age' from Sharon Born.

Billbergia 'Betty Bay Norty Norm' from Maxim Wilson.

Tillandsia sprengeliana from Bruce Dunstan.

Till streptophylla x brachycaulis x
stricta x gardneri from Ron Jell.

'A Cup of Tea Anyone?' from Sharon Born.

How many plants can you enter into Competition ?
For the Popular Vote, you can enter three plants only.
For the Mini Show, you can enter two plants in each of four classes
making a maximum of eight plants.

The Committee is keen to expand the range of plants on offer at meetings. Sales will be made open to the public so bring your plants in!

Society Member Shirts are available,
For new members they are $25, includes
the BSQ logo, and members name.
For current members, BSQ shirts cost $25.50 with BSQ logo,
an extra $5.50 for a pocket (total $31)
and an extra $5.00 with your name embroidered on it.

2017 Meeting Information

Meeting Show Schedule

January - MINI SHOW

Class 1 – Aechmea species and hybrids
Class 2 – Vriesea species and hybrids
Class 3 – Dyckia species and hybrids
Class 4 - any other flowering bromeliad species and hybrids