PRESIDENTS REPORT 2008 Another year has come and gone and we are not getting any older are we? I think you would agree that 2008 was a great year for our little society. A very big plus for our society was the hosting of the 18th. WBC. It was a resounding success due to the planning and organizing by Australian BSI Director our own Lynnie, with only a handful of helpers she did what others thought was just impossible. I would like to take this opportunity, to thank these helpers who were there to assist with anything they could - Sharron, Olive, Karen Stevens, Karen Cross, Kay, Dave, Brendan, Sheryl & Les, Patrick, Barbara & Brian and Sue & Gough. I know there were others that came and did some of the chores but this little band of helpers that worked tirelessly deserve a big thank you. During the year we had our usual Show, Mini-shows and Popular Vote and additionally this year we had the WBC Show, with Cairns entrants. Congratulations go to all the winners, and for the winners in the WBC - you are among a very few people in OZ to receive a prize in a WBC Show - well done. With the Gardens Lakes Area as a selling venue and a few new sellers plant sale days have been enjoyable and it has boosted our bank balance. We can now do a few little things to pay back the members that do assist in building our bank balance, the first being our Learning Weekend planned for June with guest speakers. To the members who opened their homes and gardens to us to hold our meetings throughout the year, I say thank you. In 2009 we would like to share the committee positions with other members who are willing to have a turn at some of the committee duties, so some of us will be passing the baton on. These members will have our support and I hope they enjoy the exciting year ahead. After 15 years of being President I proudly pass this baton to Thomas. The society has grown stronger and healthier, especially over the past decade and I have enjoyed being your President. I would like to sincerely thank my committee who assisted Lynn & I throughout the year to ensure that our society has a great future. Bob Hudson - President

Bromelcairns Bimonthly Newsletter of Cairns Bromeliad Society Inc. 2009 # 1 P.O. Box 28 Cairns Queensland 4870 Australia

President Thomas Jones unlistedV-President Bob Hudson 0740533913Secretary Lynn Hudson 0740533913Treasurer Sharron Miller 0740322283Librarian Elaine Asher 0740937510Editor Lynn Hudson 0740533913Editor Assist. Sturt Gibbs 0421041236OIC Raffles Karen Stevens 0740361086Member Concierge Barry Osborne 0740532047Popular Vote Steward Karen Cross 0740545497 *Honorary Life Member - Grace Goode O.A.M.* Life Member - Lynn 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, $7.50 junior (if not in family membership). Country Member $25 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 will be emailed on request to LynnHudson@BromeliadsDownUnder.com

3

Club Activities & Around the Members

FEBRUARY: We had good attendance for the AGM and it was good to see everyone again. Bob our long serving President, passed the baton (& bell) to Thomas who had been in training in 2008. To pass the baton would not have been easy for Bob after so many years but the young ones need the experience and it is better they have it while the older ones are around as mentors. Good on yer Bob. * Dave was our Election President & did a good job.* Elaine took over as Librarian and Sturt as Assistant Editor, thanx to each of you. So we have a few changes in the committee and I am sure they will each do a good job. Next we will split up the Secretary duties. * New Member - Welcome to William Harris, yes there is plenty to learn

William, but there will be lots of laughs on the way.* Brendan made a tray of yummy scones with jam & cream - no, there were

none left over! We were lucky the rain stayed away but it made up for it during that night!!

* Progress on our ‘Bloomin Broms’ weekend was welcomed. Thanks go to Brendan for his production of professional looking and informative pamphlets that include a Registration Form.

* Once again there were no plant sales. Almost all members have joined the society after coming to me to buy plants - then they seldom buy another from me. What is wrong with my plants? I have seen you buy the same from other people. To those who think I make money from the society, think smarter & ask how! I give at least 40 hours a month to your society. ‘Bromelcairns’ takes me a week to prepare. In 2008 I received only three articles submitted by members on how they became involved with bromeliads. Seven wrote comments on the WBC and ten wrote bus trip comments. This is not enough support! There are so many things that happen with/to your plants that other members will enjoy reading, learn from and appreciate. Have a go, write an article, my Mac has Spellcheck!

* There were good plants in open section of Popular Vote but the Novices need to join in. I really do not want to dust those trophies for 2010! Come on, you have some good plants, bring them & skite!

POPULAR VOTE: JUNIOR: Nil entries NOVICE: Tillandsia streptophylla Grower: Stuart Howe OPEN: Neoregelia ‘Dark Storm’ Grower: Darryl Lister Cryptanthus zonatus Grower: Karen Stevens Tillandsia flexuosa Grower: Bob Hudson

Aechmea chantinii ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! 4 ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !

Aechmea chantinii variegated Aechmea ‘Green Ice’ Aechmea ‘Black’ Some growers are confused with the many forms of Aechmea chantinii but most enjoy both their appearance and ease of growth. As they readily cross pollinate and set seed, even in habitat, they have been called promiscuous! We are the winners as there are some beautifully marked plants. I collect any different hybrids I see and the colours range through several shades of green and brown to black. The inflorescences have boldly coloured banners and the flower bracts will hold colour for many months after flowering. When in flower the sunbirds visit and chatter and make some new hybrids. The pollinated seed pod usually turns purple but some stay white. Both plants and seed are easy to grow in Cairns as chantinii and their hybrids thrive on humidity, warmth and light. There are many hybrids available here, the smallest being ‘Stripes on Stripes’ with the banding widths thin and almost equal. Seed Bob has grown has produced plants of varied markings, some beautiful pink leaves and large spines and several XNeomeas also with pink to purple leaves. All of these plants have the chantinii striping - silver white crossbands of ‘scurf’ or the hairs of an epidermis that help the plant to feed, respire and cope with sun and heat. Aechmea chantinii variegated appears identical to Aechmea ‘Samurai’ but the scape bracts or banners, are darker in the variegated form. ‘Samurai’ is a tissue cultured plant that tends to produce only three offsets with the yellow centre leaf stripe. These plants are quite spectacular but never revert to the original. My Aechmea chantinii variegated came from Paul Deroose and he said I would have more consistency in the offsets. From the two original plants their production would be more than thirty offsets and only one was without the yellow stripe. Last year it produced a variegated plant! I felt really lucky! What is bad about these plants? Not very much but maybe the leaf spines can be a little scratchy, all else is good, very good. As they grow the leaves are attractive and strong and the inflorescence is a bonus. Maybe I should complain about the way they ‘climb’ out of their pots. The offsets grow on a slolon, up and out and push the mother plant to an angle; sometimes they even wind themselves around the pot! In habitat they grow on trees and the offset moves away from the parent plant to ensure they get enough light and food. It amazes me how bromeliad species pass their inherent habitat characteristics through to hybrids.

Serving Sizes

6

And it rained & rained & rained, February 2009Marie of Sth Johnstone: 7/2/07 Meeting apologies, we are flooded in! Rob has been sitting on the boat all night pushing logs off that came down the Johnstone River in great mobs. He is still stuck where the boat is moored as the big tide is keeping water up in the street not letting him walk out to where the car is.

Barry from Babinda - Our shower recess flooded so Mary stood on the small chair to shower as toilet paper and everything came up the pipe! Mary set off for work and got almost to Mirriwini and the car started floating, so she came back - just as the police set up road blocks.

Lynn of 7/2/09: It started as thunder & lightning that looked like the herald to the end of the world, then rain, then it just bucketed down. We had our highest tides for the year & just as the tide turned the sky opened and it poured rain. Of course it was late, 11:00pm and dark! The storm water tidal drain behind us was raging. The road filled, the drain rose, the garage filled, the shed filled, the driveway was a river. Still it rained, in big drops. Luckily the tide was on the way out, the drain was taking out all sorts of stuff - logs, grass, palm fronds, the inevitable plastic bottles and broken thongs.The whole yard was under water, nearly 2 feet deep at the back! Some plants had a little surf around but most were packed so tightly they were submerged. It went down & left a centimetre of slippery ochre coloured clay mud everywhere! The tiles were really dangerous. I had just worked really hard through horrid heat & cleaned up so much. Wot a bloody mess! All my work is top dressed with mud & bits of something else - sort of mulch! Chris visited and grabbed a hose to help me clean off the top layer - that was a big help. Thank you Chris, that hour you gave was gold. Bob's shed was interesting, he was greeted by floating boxes, pots etc. It was so deep, Wellingtons would have filled up. Zanita the dog loved it! Dan Kinnard suggested Bob look for crocodiles under the shelves!The whole yard is top dressed with stuff from the drain, mainly vegetative.The weeds are sprouting & growing as we watch, however I would rather this stuff than fire & ash!

Aechmea zebrina XNeomea Aechmea ‘Enoldo’ from Aechmea zebrina seed Some get Aechmea zebrina confused with chantinii but zebrina is usually taller, the leaves are less arching, there is wider scurfing so the green markings are narrower and the markings are lighter on the inside. The seed of Aechmea zebrina also produces some interesting strong plants. Greg Oldano registered XNeomea ‘Valli’, named for his Mother, an attractive purple leafed plant. From the same seed batch he gave me plant that has grown to become a strong brown and scurfed aechmea that I have suggested should be named ‘Enoldo’ after his father. Into the third generation, it has held true in colour, shape and inflorescence, so it is time to register this good plant. Other aechmeas that also have stripes and can be confusing to growers and information is on http://fcbs.org/index1.html. Go to the Photo Index and look up Aechmea chantinii then go to “Uncle Derek says” both on Ecuadorian Platyaechmea and chantinii. There are comparisons on chantinii, zebrina, tessmannii, manzanaresiana, retusa etc. Derek Butcher has done much work in preparing these interesting articles.****************************************************************

Mosquitos “No Moz’, vinegar, fly sprays boric acid, ‘Mavrik’, pyrethrum & kerosene are well known mosquito killers. There are other tablets and sprays available.*** Remember your bromeliads feed through the top of their leaves *** With dengue fever making people very sick the Health Unit is checking around homes for mosquito breeding places, with $400 fines. Last week I welcomed them to Bromeliad Heaven. They were duly impressed when they were in the driveway but as is normal they were stunned when they turned the corner. They asked what I did to prevent mosquito breeding and I replied nothing’.They asked what I thought of the accusation that mosquitos breed in bromeliads. “I have seen wrigglers in my plants but if they were breeding you would not be able to pass my block, let alone stand amongst them. I have been told there is an enzyme in the bromeliads that prevents the wriggler from further development but I do not know if this has been proven.” Mosquitos do not breed in clean water as they need food.

7

Selling Tips You can only tell people what you know - never make it up.* Never be afraid to say “I’m new to bromeliads, I do not know but ask ------ over there. When you do this you are placing the Asker on the same level as Yourself and they will feel more comfortable.* Do not ask people “Can I help you?” as you give them the chance to say “No” and walk away. Never boom out “What do you want?” as I heard one day and cringed - had I been the customer I would have left but that person stayed and bought plants!* Better to say Are you having a good day; enjoying the show; have you seen bromeliads before; do you have any bromeliads; isn’t that one beautiful; do you like this one, I grew it, etc. Stay with the plants, do not stray to other topics.* My favourite is to look at their eyes - some look confused and stunned .. I say ‘haven’t you seen bromeliads before?’ especially with tillandsias. Some look like they are in a lolly shop, wondering “which one will I get first”. Some you can read their lips “I have that one, that one” , etc.* Usually at a plant sale people go just to buy plants. There will always be the “I’m just looking” people - they also deserve your attention. Maybe today they do not have spending money but will remember you were accessible to them. You never know when they will come back. Some of us have been told “I met you at ....” even 4 years later!

* PRICE TAGS - We make them BIG. Many people do not wear their glasses when they go out - their choice. Many people will not ask the price of a plant in case they cannot afford it.We put the price on big and bold and it says, ‘This is what I want for growing this plant.’ ‘It is worth this much for the care and time I gave to produce it.’After the sale the Treasurer sorts the tags into seller lots, tallies them, the % is deducted, monies allocated for each seller with their tags - for reuse.The tags can be made from any plastic container - ice cream, milk and fruit juice bottles are ideal. The price on the top and seller’s initials on the stem.

2009 Sale Days: Saturday - 28 March, 22 August, 24 October 8

7:30am - 1:00pm (approx or until sold out). BBQ Area, Centenary Lakes, Greenslopes Street, Edge Hill.

*********************************************************************************************

6 - 8 June “Bloomin Broms” 6 - 8 June

A weekend of growing Bromeliads & Tillandsias Educational seminars and instructive workshops and sales. Guest Speakers Genny & John Catlan and Peter Tristram.

Saturday Seminars, Sunday Sales & DemonstrationsRegistration required for Saturday, numbers limited.

Open to public on SundaySerbian Centre, Greenslopes Street, Edge Hill.

**********************************************************************************************

Cairns had days of sunshine amid the rain but Neville down at north Cardwell was not as lucky. He had weeks of continuous rain and was housebound like an island. His ride-on mower was parked on the raised carport and as the water rose he decided to tie it down. Nev stepped into the water only to see the mower slide off and float out of sight! Two days later his neighbour phoned to say it was against his shed. Later the insurance assessor phoned to say he was visiting - Nev “will that be by boat?” Nev needed bread, milk & eggs, so phoned George his mate and arranged to meet him up the road. Nev set off in water with his esky, lost the esky and couldn’t reach George. Next day the water was down a bit so he suggested George meet him at a crossing (doesn’t that imply a water course?), and off Nev went again. George & Nev arrived at the crossing but it was too deep and too fast. Nev asked George to throw his treasures to him - yeah, sure Nev throw eggs & milk!! Along came a 4-wheel drive and delivered Nev’s supplies. Everybody was wet but happy. Nev’s beloved bromeliads have been thoroughly drowned several times, the last time for 3 days straight. It will be interesting to see if they truly are survivors! The water went down and Nev went down to check his plants - got bogged at the bottom of the steps! He said, “I haven’t got 4-wheel drive!” Tie a rope to the stairs and around yourself Nev. Nev is a Survivor, my Favourite Survivor.

$15 RH

10

Cairns Show Schedule 2009 Flowering Plants – There is a visible change in plant from the onset of flowering. Tillandsia – Plants may be multiple growths provided they are intact as one plant.Offsets - attached offsets are permitted when they are less than two-thirds the size of the mother plant. Multiple Specimen Plants – 3 or more connected mature plants. All plants must be named with the species in lower case. Hybrids in single parenthesis, in lower case, starting with a capital letter.

BROMELIOIDEAE Aechmea Billbergia Cryptanthus

Neoregelia mature plant to 200 mm Neoregelia mature plant to 400 mm

Neoregelia mature plant over 400 mm Nidularium / Canistrum / Edmundoa Orthophytum XNeophytum Other Bromelioideae Flowering Bromelioideae Bromelioideae Multiple SpecimenTILLANDSIOIDEAE Guzmania Flowering Guzmania Vriesea Flowering Vriesea / Werauhia Alcantarea / Werauhia

Tillandsia small Tillandsia medium Tillandsia large

Flowering Tillandsia Tillandsioideae Multiple SpecimenPITCAIRNIOIDEAE Hectia / Dyckia / Dueterocohnia Other Pitcairnioideae eg. Brocchinia, Fosterella, Navia, PuyaOTHER

Artistic Display Planting - single or group planting in a pot. Artistic Display - using mainly bromeliad material. Epiphytic mounting.

Two Additional Awards - Potty Lynnie Award & Bobalog Award

Setup: Sunday 12th 8:30am Entries: Monday 13th July 2:00-6:00pm Judging: Tuesday 14th July 9:00am -12 noon BBQ Tuesday 14th

9

Show Plants. The first rule is clean it! Many times we cannot stop grasshoppers from nibbling or almost completely deleting our plants, or the dog knocking them over, but we can wash our plants. Do it now. To enter a dirty plant in a show is unforgivable and an insult to the Judge. You will lose many points. Clean it before you remove it from the pot as it is secure and easier to work with. Clean it completely, preferably months before the show. First hose it out thoroughly. Use a few drops of mild washing up liquid. Make sure the cupped bases of the leaves are clean. A small long handled paintbrush is good - do not cut the leaves with the metal hair holder. An old pair of undies is perfect for rubbing dirt and algae off the leaves.

If your plant has had green slime in the centre you could have white patches on the leaves. The green slime is simply algae from the water and sun, it turns white when it dries and is like thin tissue paper. It must be wetted to remove, use a damp soft cloth and wipe to the outside of the leaf. You may need to do this several times as some can adhere and not reveal until it is dry. You will be surprised how much grot will be hidden in the leaves and amazed at the new sheen of a cleaned plant.

Repot if the plant is not in the centre of the pot. Repot if the pot is tatty. Repot if the plant is wobbly – check the mix, maybe it is not suitable and your plant has not grown roots.

Leaf Removal. At this stage only remove the bottom tatty leaves, leave any that will need to be trimmed. On large neoregelias with heavy leaves, leave as many as you can - removal of one will cause the next one to drop and this can continue! Best to leave it until entry day, even until you get to the hall.

Leaf Trimming – do not trim leaves until the afternoon before or on entry day as usually the edges go brown. Use an old leaf as a template, trim to a natural shape, do not cut it straight across.

To get even colour place the plant in good light and turn the plant around regularly, say one quarter each week.

The judge will look for the correct growth for that bromeliad, good colour & shape, cleanliness in both plant & pot. Cut potholes in the bottom of a polystyrene box, turn it upside down to stop your plants from rolling around the car floor. You can do it; it just takes a little time. Good Luck.

Megan & John WelchFERtLIZERS * FUNGICIDES * WATERING SYSTEMS POLYPIPES * POLY FILMS * SPRAYING EQUIPMENT SHADECLOTH * PLANTER BAGS * PLASTIC POTS Cnr. Brown & Little Spence Sts. Cairns Phone: 07 4035 2670~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hudson’s Bromeliads Down Under

Bromeliads & Tillandsias Bob & Lynn Hudson 47 Boden St. Edge Hill CairnsPhone: (07) 40533 913 email: lynnie@ledanet.com.au ABN 66 951 932 976~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Bromeliads XV‘Bromadelaide’ 10-13th April 2009

For details & Registration Form.

www.bromeliad.org.au/BROMADELAIDE2009.htmCome to our conference. Learn from the experts. New

plants. Buy plants. Sell plants. Swap plants.Make new friends. Buy rare plants at auction. Ask

questions. Have fun. Store lots of memories to brighten your quiet moments.

! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! 11 "The budget should be balanced, the Treasury should be refilled, public debt should be reduced, the arrogance of officialdom should be tempered and controlled, and the assistance to foreign lands should be curtailed lest Rome become bankrupt. People must again learn to work, instead of living on public assistance." Cicero - 55 BC So what have we learned in 2 millennia ........... Evidently nothing... *************************************************************** With age comes wisdomFred is 70 years old and loves to fish. He was sitting in his boat the other day when he heard a voice say, 'Pick me up.' He looked around and couldn't see anyone. He thought he was dreaming when he heard the voice say again, 'Pick me up.'He looked in the water and there, floating on the top, was a frog. The man said, 'Are you talking to me?' The frog said, 'Yes, I'm talking to you. Pick me up then kiss me and I'll turn into the most beautiful woman you have ever seen. I'll make sure that all your friends are envious and jealous because I will be your bride!'Fred looked at the frog for a short time, reached over, picked it up carefully and placed it in his front breast pocket. Then the frog said. 'What, are you nuts? Didn't you hear what I said? I said kiss me and I will be your beautiful bride.' Fred opened his pocket, looked at the frog and said ‘Nah, at my age I would rather have a talking frog’ With age comes wisdom. *************************************************************** GLUE How come when you mix water and flour together you get glue? And then when you add eggs and sugar ... you get cake ??? Where did the glue go ??? Need an answer ???You know really know where it went, it is what makes the cake stick to your bum!

I just want to let you know I have entered the Snapdragon part of my life .. Part of me has snapped, the rest is draggin. Lynn