elbs newsletter july 2014
TRANSCRIPT
ELBS Newsletter JULY 2014East London Bromeliad Society July 2014
Page 1
Our aim is to promote and encourage awareness and interest in Our aim is to promote and encourage awareness and interest in Our aim is to promote and encourage awareness and interest in Our aim is to promote and encourage awareness and interest in Bromeliads in East London and all of South Africa!Bromeliads in East London and all of South Africa!Bromeliads in East London and all of South Africa!Bromeliads in East London and all of South Africa!
AGM and the ELBS 5th Birthday Bash!
Our meeting was held at the home of Lyn and
Trevor Wegner, surrounded by Lyn's wonderful
garden and mind blowing collection of
bromeliads. Everywhere, plants are so creatively
displayed to enable light and air to bring out the
best characteristics of an amazingly wide variety.
All undeniable evidence of many years of
passionate collecting, nurturing and spreading
the love of these special plants to many people in
South Africa and beyond. Lyn’s garden has been
the springboard to fueling many a members’
addiction to bromeliads!!!!! We have much to be
thankful to Lyn for, as a result of our own needs
and search for learning about this amazing family
of plants! Thank you Lyn!
Dudley Reynolds welcomed everyone to the 5th
AGM and Birthday Bash. We welcomed our
ELBS is an Affiliated Society of Bromeliad Society International
East LondonEast LondonEast LondonEast London Bromeliad Society
South Africa Established: 25 July 2009
NEWS LETTER
July 2014
A happy band of ‘brommers’ at the 5th AGM and Birthday Bash!
Next meeting: Sunday 31st August at 2.30pm, to be hosted by Larraine Parathyras at 33 Main Road,
Abbotsford. Please remember to bring a chair for yourself!
Above, a view of Lyn’s top garden. Left, one of two
poles at the entrance, given the ‘yarn bomb’ treat-
ment! Made by Lyn’s mom, Stella Rowbotham last year. Trevor and Lyn Wegner, our hosts
every year for the Birthday Bash!
East London Bromeliad Society July 2014 Page 2
youngest visitors yet! Rebecca
were ecstatic with their
Attendance Lucky Draw wins,
budding collections! It was also
great to meet Jan and Gerda
Vermeulen, fairly new members,
soon!
After the business part of the meeting, the Chairman's report by Dudley Reynolds and a very casual election
of office bearers for the coming year, we all enjoyed a very festive and fun afternoon in the late winter
sunshine. After Show and Tell we moved on to the Attendance Lucky Draws which proved a hit for all present
who got to choose a ‘birthday bromeliad’ to take home. ‘Fizz Ananas’ was served to get everyone in the
mood for the annual quiz. There was some raucous friendly rivalry between the two teams, the Sexy Cyaneas
and the Tipsy Tillandsias!!!! All good fun in the end. We then held the monthly
raffle draws, plus everyone got to help themselves to the piles of give-away
plants supplied by Lyn and Tilly’s from Pete.
Show and Tell
Danie Conradie brought along a cryptanthus (right), he has growing in a
shallow container filled with water and clay 'balls' which he brought back
from one of his trips to Europe. He says these ‘balls’ placed around plants are
very popular in Europe.
visiting from Bloemfontein.
were thrilled with the plants that they
won in the Attendance Lucky Draw.
Another view of Lyn’ top garden. The beads hanging in the tree are a memento brought
back from the ‘Bromeliads in the Big Easy’ 2010 World Conference held in New Orleans.
East London Bromeliad Society July 2014 Page 3
Lyn Wegner showed her Aechmea 'Roberto Menescal' which she
almost lost. All that remained was a tiny piece which she left lying in
water in the cup of a bromeliad and the tiny plant has developed
roots! (See Christo van Wijk’s experience under Members Corner.)
Lyn Wegner also showed her Aechmea dealbata and Aechmea
fasciata. Both had a similar problem with some of the leaves having
turned brown and mushy over the winter period. Lyn forwarded
photos to Herb Plever for his comments. What do our country
members think could cause this problem?
Herb Plever (Editor: Bromeliad Society of New York) offered up some
insight into the problem:
This is a very tough problem to solve, especially at long distance
without the actual plants. I assume that the
browned leaves are not mushy (which
would indicate base rotting from
overwatering), but hard, brittle. I don't think
the plants were under watered; that would
lead to browned leaf tips or margins, not
large parts or the whole leaf. Also
significant is that this condition only occurs
in the winter.
plant is flowering, which leads me to
believe the plant is healthy. A reaction to
cold temperature is too simple an answer,
although the winter temperature may be
one factor. Generally, this group of plants
are relatively cold hardy 8 degrees C. is
certainly not very cold, and in any event
your A. dealbata gradually became cold-
hardened as the fall temperatures gradually lowered. So we have to look for a more complex diagnosis.
One possible though not wholly satisfactory answer may lie in the plant’s metabolism. Aechmeas are CAM
plants, that is they use Crassulacean Acid Metabolism to produce food. In this process, the leaf stomata open
at night to take in CO2 which is used to produce malic acid by early morning. (That acid is converted to sugar
food during the day when photosynthesis takes place.) The specialized chloroplast cells in some aechmeas
Aechmea dealbata. Aechmea fasciata.
Chairman, Dudley Reynolds brought along two magnificent tillys from his
collection, a Tillandsia didisticha and on the right a Tillandsia streptophylla x
brachycaulos forming its inflorescence.
Above left, Danie Conradie
brought a beautiful blooming
East London Bromeliad Society July 2014 Page 4
(and Aechmea dealbata might be
one of them) have walls that are
overly sensitive to high turgor
pressure which occurs from the
production of malic acid. In the
process of osmosis, the plasma
membrane pushes against the cell
wall and when the pressure is too
great the cell literally explodes and
dies.
large-scale leaf browning, why does
it only occur in the winter, and why
does it seem to affect mostly the
lower leaves? Perhaps the lower
temperatures in winter time may
have some effect on either the
turgor pressure, or the permeability of
the cell walls, or the ability of the cell
walls to withstand that pressure. As a
mere amateur dabbler in brom
biology, I’m only guessing at a
possible answer; a proper inquiry
would need a trained biologist who
does research into these matters.
I tend to discount viral or bacterial
infection as the answer, again
because the browning only happens
in the winter – though it is possible
even if unlikely that some of such
organisms may flourish only during
the winter.
the Annual AGM/Birthday Bash
Miriam Kennard for providing
• Maureen Bakkes for a delicious pineapple themed birthday cake.
• Pete Pfister for Tilly give-aways
• Lyn Wegner for a mountain of bromeliads as give-aways!
Tea Duty
August: Sue Pema, Christine and Koos Steyn and Larraine Parathyras.
September: Lynn Friend, Peter Pfister and Miriam Kennard.
October: Billy and Sheila Gerretsen, Barbara and Eddie Black and Brian and Bridget Kroger.
To facilitate catering, please confirm with Maureen Eybers (076 534 6054 or [email protected]) if you
are unable to provide eats when you are on duty.
Raffle Winners for July
Only Society members can buy tickets for the Raffle Draw. They can be bought for R5.00each from Norma
Hart at the meeting. Country members can buy raffle tickets from Lyn, your winning bromeliad will be posted
to you. We had an extra country member raffle draw this month in celebration of our 5th Birthday!
The Attendance Lucky Draws are open to members and visitors at the meeting.
Members are encouraged to bring special bromeliads for the raffle draw selection. They will be paid for their
plant if it is chosen by a winner.
Chairman’s Report 2014- Dudley Reynolds
Life is filled with mixed emotions, and circumstances. I find peace
and satisfaction in the plants that I collect, grow and nurture, I have
a special passion for them.
I am so privileged to share this passion with like-minded people as
yourselves here today, who also feel the same excitement about
bromeliads. This is the essence of our society.
How the first five years of our existence has rushed by. I clearly
remember our very first meeting, here at ‘Bromeliads for Africa’ with
13 founder members. Now our membership is standing at 100
members from East London and all over the country and even two
international members as well.
I would like to thank our committee for all their efforts and
dedication over the last year and of course, all the members,
without you this society would not exist.
Thank you to all the members who have opened their homes and
gardens to the society this year, provided delicious eats for tea time
at meetings and have contributed to our fabulous monthly
newsletter. We have an ongoing exchange of newsletters and
journals worldwide, which seems to be growing monthly. This in itself
is a wealth of information and keeps us up to date with what is
happening in the bromeliad world and different societies
worldwide.
We wish Lyn ‘Bon voyage’ as she prepares to leave for Hawaii in a
few weeks time to attend the 21st World Bromeliad Conference.
She will be representing all of us!
The past twelve months of meetings have been very informative
and enjoyable. Our year end braai and auction was a great event,
the auction was well organized and enjoyed by all and will
definitely be repeated for years to come.
If any of our country members are visiting the Eastern Cape, we
would love to see you at a meeting, or if you have time we can
organise visits to local bromeliad enthusiasts gardens. You will be
made most welcome.
I wish everyone everything of the best for the coming year.
Happy Bromming!
Congratulations to our July Winners!!
Raffle Winners • Danie Conradie chose Hohenbergia correia-
araujoi.
• Barbara Miles chose Billbergia ‘Hallelujah’.
• Adele and Beurich Groenewald from Cape Town
chose Aechmea mulfordii Rubra.
brevicollis.
Neoregelia 'Black Out'.
‘Nalo Rose’.
Attendance Lucky Draw Winners • There were lucky draws all round as a 5th
birthday treat for all in attendance, everyone got
to choose a bromeliad from a selection on
display.
all society meetings.
end of the newsletter.
Library
There are some books out on loan that are outstanding. Please could you return them to Brenda Wegner at
the next meeting to enable other members to take them out of the library.
If you are keen to learn more about bromeliads, the society does have a library of books and journals and our
newsletters are on a flash disc, all available on loan for a month at a time. Brenda Wegner is the lady to
contact to find out what is available. Cell: 082 743 2141 or [email protected]
Upcoming Society Events
31st August: To be hosted by Larraine Parathyras at 33 Main Road Abbotsford. Topic: tba.
28th September: To be hosted by Andre and Maureen Eybers. Topic: An seminar from the New Zealand
“Cool Broms’ conference DVD - ‘Bromeliads Light up your Life’ by Nigel Thomson.
26th October: To be hosted by Brenda Wegner. Topic: Lyn Wegner will share her experiences of the 21st
World Bromeliad Conference in Hawaii that she will be attending in about 4 weeks time!
30th November: End of year function hosted by Eddie and Barbara Black.
Upcoming International Events
September 2014: Hawaii will host the 21st World Bromeliad Conference. Lyn leaves on the 6th September to
participate in the conference as a BSI director and participant, plus will get to spend some time visiting
nurseries, local gardens and some of the sights in Hawaii! To say we are green with envy is putting it very
mildly! All our good wishes will be traveling along with her!
16 - 19 April 2015: 18th Australasian Bromeliad Conference, Parramatta, Australia hosted by the Bromeliad
Society of Australia. For more information go to www.bromeliad.org.au
Member’s Corner From Gerrie Brits in George: While visiting their children in California, USA, Gerrie and Dalene Brits asked their
daughter to find a local bromeliad society in their area. Carl Carter, chairman of the San Francisco Bromeliad
society, sent them a link giving information of a rare bromeliad in bloom – a once in a lifetime chance of
Barbara Miles chose Billbergia
Hohenbergia correia-araujoi.
East London Bromeliad Society July 2014 Page 6
witnessing this occurrence as the plant is
reputed to bloom only once every 100
years! And what an overwhelming
experience it proved to be to see such a
huge and unique bromeliad in bloom.
Against the misty backdrop of the hilly
slopes of the botanical garden, majestic
Puya raimondii rose eight meters above all
the other plants, pushing its strong flower
stalk into the air. Few people in the world
have been privileged to witness this sight –
the flower will last for about a month.
The following is an excerpt from the link,
http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/UC-
Berkeley-s-rare-Queen-of-the-Andes-plant-
the Andes' plant blooms 75 years early by
Sam Whiting. (Updated 9:25, Saturday, July
5, 2014)
A South American Puya raimondii plant,
known for taking up to 100 years to bloom, has started to pop in Berkeley after just 24 years, which may be a
world record. Planted as a seed in 1990 at the UC Botanical Garden at Berkeley, the 20-foot Puya
unexpectedly sprouted a bud on 3 May. The bud stalk grew 10 feet in three months before a dozen white
flowers bloomed this week. It will continue to bloom for a month, and when it peaks, it will show tens of
thousands of white flowers at the tips of each horn-shaped branch, like the little white lights on a Christmas
tree. The bloom is an event that happens just once in its lifetime.
"The grand opening is this weekend," said UC Botanical Garden director Paul Licht, who has been charting the
growth of the bud each day since it appeared as a topknot above leaves that resemble a porcupine. "No
Puya raimondii has ever bloomed this young anywhere in the world, as far as we know."
A rare and endangered species, the Puya raimondii is called the ‘Queen of the Andes’ and in 2013 there was
an exceedingly rare mass blooming of Puya growing wild in Bolivia. At high altitude, it is among the slowest-
flowering of all plant species. But transferred to warm coastal climates, it can grow amazingly fast. The last
time a Puya sprouted at Berkeley was in September 1986. A 28-year-old plant blossomed and attracted a
pilgrimage of thousands of botanists and garden clubbers to the sanctuary in Strawberry.
"Very few people have ever seen one of these actually flower," UC botanist Daniel Campbell told The
Chronicle at the time. "It's a bit like seeing Halley's Comet. I don't ever expect to see another one flowering in
my lifetime."
But 20 years later, a Puya flowered after 34 years at the botanical garden in Golden Gate Park. The stalk went
up 25 feet and became so top-heavy it tipped over, recalled curator Dan Mahoney. It kept on elongating and blooming while lying on its side, though the effect was somewhat spoiled.
The Berkeley Puya were collected from seed in the wilds of Bolivia by a team of botanists from the New York
Botanical Garden. Coming unexpectedly upon the Puya in bloom, the scientists threw rocks at it until they
shook loose the seeds, which they gathered up, brought home and sent around, according to the U.S.
National Herbarium's Larry Door, who was among the rock-throwers. Twelve seeds arrived in Berkeley on 16
November 1990, and were planted in pots. Four years
later, they were transplanted to the ground. Gophers
and rats are attracted to the starch needed to power its
growth spurt, and only three have survived. The other
two, within a few yards of the bloom, are showing no
signs of a bud.
From Christo van Wijk from Pretoria: Here are photos of
my Neoregelia ‘Jaline’ that I nearly lost. Lyn passed on a
tip a while ago about putting a pup into the cup of
another bromeliad with water in it to help it recover. I
am sure if Lyn had not told me about this, both these
plants of mine would have been lost. So thanx again!! I
put them into the crown of other bromeliads to see if
they would recover and develop roots, then I forgot
The base of Neoreglia
forming.
crown of another neoregelia.
East London Bromeliad Society July 2014 Page 7
about them. Neoregelia ‘Jaline’ was in the crown of the other plant when the
bad frost hit recently and I lost many bromeliads, but it survived!! I have taken
photos showing the very bad cut and the new pup emerging from the cut, I
initially thought it was a root.
I did not take any photos of the progress of the Vriesea ‘White Cloud’ which
was also in a bad way, I have included a photo of the plant (right) as it is now,
it is growing !!
From Lyn Wegner: This tip appeared in one of the overseas newsletters we
receive. It works in South Africa too!
From Richard Knipe in Despatch: Below: A few photos of my bromeliads in my
very dry winter garden in the Eastern Cape.
Are you looking for a special brom
that is on your wish list? Advertise it
here and who knows, you might hit
the jackpot!
Share your garden story or special
bromeliad with us, e-mail me with
p i c t u r e s a n d w o r d s a t
[email protected], we would
From the Editor
July sees another birthday come and go in our society’s history, time flies when you are busy and having fun,
not so? Another year of sharing experiences, knowledge, swapping plants and camaraderie. Many thanks to
all of you who make up our merry band and to those who are so willing to share your gardens and
experiences with others, it is much appreciated by all of us. I would like to encourage country members to
pay us a visit some time, it is great to meet you and chat ‘broms’ and to those of you who can’t visit, do feel
free to share your successes or problems with us via the newsletter. You can e-mail myself or Lyn with your
story and photos so that we can share it with the members.
We are, as always, very thankful for constructive feedback on a variety of bromeliad and editorial issues from
Herb Plever, who is the editor of the bromeliad journal, Bromeliana, New York. We acknowledge that we are
a young society, there is much to learn and we welcome input and advice from experienced bromeliad
collectors, society members and editors and readers from far and wide. We are, after all, in this together and
out of it we all learn something and derive different levels of immense personal satisfaction and moments of
joy when our broms reward us for all our endeavours, with an amazing show!
Dare I hope that spring is in the air at the beginning of August???!!! The birds in and around our garden are
extremely busy, the weavers are already stripping the palms to practice making their nests, the hornbills are
feeding on the syringa berries and it is merry mayhem at the feeder all morning with a pecking order
between breeds! Leads me to think they know something is up as far as the approach of warmer weather is
concerned. There has been a subtle shift in the temperatures the last two weeks, especially at night, combine
that with very welcome rain showers we’ve been getting the last week, this can only be good for all our
broms. The ones I have protected from the cold can maybe come out of hiding soon.
This year, two of our society members, Brenda Wegner and Larraine Parathyras will be opening their gardens
for the Pam Golding Show Gardens of East London in aid of local charities. It is being held on the weekend of
4 - 5 October. I know that their gardens will be greatly enjoyed and admired and it is a wonderful opportunity
to promote bromeliads to the East London public. Good luck ladies as you prepare for the event, your
gardens are stunning as they are and they will impress folks big time!!!
Hope to see you all at the next meeting at Larraine Parathyras’ home, you will enjoy an interesting afternoon
and a wonderful garden.
East London Bromeliad Society July 2014 Page 8
This is a publication for the East London Bromeliad Society, South Africa for the interest of its members. Articles
may be used by non profit societies with acknowledgement to the above.
Committee Members:
Chairman Dudley Reynolds 079 488 2360 [email protected]
Vice- Chairman Dr Peter Pfister 043 748 1317 082 625 5533 [email protected]
PRO & Secretary Lyn Wegner 043 736 1737 082 970 2293 [email protected]
Treasurer Eddie Black 043 7212775 0825505347 [email protected]
Editor & Publisher Barbara Black 043 7212775 072 1787 421 [email protected]
Librarian Brenda Wegner 082 743 2141 [email protected]
Raffles Norma Hart 043 7211364 084 602 3953
Catering Maureen Eybers 043 748 2254 076 534 6054 [email protected]
Event Co-ordinators: Brenda Wegner 082 743 2141 [email protected]
Larraine Parathyras 043 726 3167 082 594 4559 [email protected]
Zoo Co-ordinator Dudley Reynolds 079 488 2360 [email protected]
Member Andre Eybers 043 748 2254 082 572 2448 [email protected]
You can view most of all the bromeliads mentioned in meetings or in the newsletter at the following websites:
bsi.org (Bromeliad Society International) where you can access the BSI Cultivar Registry, the BSI Journal online
and lots more interesting stuff.
fcbs.org (Florida Council of Bromeliad Societies). This is a very useful site to reference many bromeliads where
you can clarify identification or just trawl through the site and add to your wish list! .
Being affiliated to the BSI gives us access to the BSI Journal, which is available in the library or you can access
it online. Copy and paste the following into your browser:
http://members.bsi.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=8&Itemid=9
You will be asked for a username and password, which is:
Username: 6841 Password: bsi
Remember that you can find ELBS on Facebook : [email protected] You will be able to
upload your photos and comments on the wall. Our page and other bromeliad related sites are becoming a
useful and informative forum to meet up with other like-minded folks. There are also many other sites that you
can join and become part of a world wide online sharing environment.
Photo Credits: Barbara Black , Lyn Wegner, Gerrie Brits, Christo van Wijk, Richard Knipe
East London Bromeliad Society July 2014 Page 9
ELBS 5th Birthday 2014 - Quiz Questions
1. What is a basal pup or offset? This is the most common form of pupping and comes straight
from the base.
means?
The plant blooms once then dies.
3. If a bromeliad is described as a terrestrial what does
that mean?
It grows in the ground.
4. If a bromeliad is described as an epiphyte what does
this mean?
It grows on trees, wood, rocks or anything it can attach to.
5. Dyckias and cryptanthus are terrestrials or epiphytes? Terrestrials.
6. What is a bract? A brightly coloured 'leaf' on the flower stem or just below the
inflorescence.
7. Tim Plowman. What genus has a plant with this
name?
It is the curly leafed Quesnelia marmorata variety.
8. What can you use to attach plants to mounts? Pantihose, wire (not copper), nails or cable ties.
9. What does BSI stand for? Bromeliad Society International.
10. Many vrieseas have plain green soft foliage. What
are the large varieties such as Vriesea 'Red Chestnut'
referred to?
Foliage vrieseas (pattern leaf vrieseas).
11. What are the parents referred to when you cross two
plants?
Seed or Pod and Pollen parents.
12. Should you feed your earth stars and what is their
botanical name?
13. What genus can tolerate the least light? Nidularium
14. A plant referred to as variegated has what colour
along the leaf edge?
growing bromeliads?
Scale.
16. What encourages scale? Plants positioned too closely to each other, lack of air
movement or dry conditions.
17. What is deadly to bromeliads? Copper, eg. tanalith poles which are treated with copper.
18. What does the term grex mean? Plants that come from the same cross ie. have the same
parents.
20. The mother plants produce babies which are referred
to as?
Pups or offsets.
21. When can you separate pups from the mother plant? They should be at least 1/3 of the size of the mother plant.
22. Why should you separate pups from the mother
plant?
To speed up the process of the mother plant producing
more pups.
which have a flat rosette form.
23. What does flavomarginated mean? Yellow edged foliage.
24. What does it mean if your plant is 'quilling'? Why? Emerging new leaves have a sticky substance between
them which needs diluting so if conditions are dry the leaves
stick together and form a cone shape referred to as quilling.
25. What does the term 'novar' mean? No variegation eg. Neoregelia 'Perfection' novar, is a
Neoregelia 'Perfection' which has lost it's variegation.
Our aim is to promote and encourage awareness and interest in Our aim is to promote and encourage awareness and interest in Our aim is to promote and encourage awareness and interest in Our aim is to promote and encourage awareness and interest in Bromeliads in East London and all of South Africa!Bromeliads in East London and all of South Africa!Bromeliads in East London and all of South Africa!Bromeliads in East London and all of South Africa!
AGM and the ELBS 5th Birthday Bash!
Our meeting was held at the home of Lyn and
Trevor Wegner, surrounded by Lyn's wonderful
garden and mind blowing collection of
bromeliads. Everywhere, plants are so creatively
displayed to enable light and air to bring out the
best characteristics of an amazingly wide variety.
All undeniable evidence of many years of
passionate collecting, nurturing and spreading
the love of these special plants to many people in
South Africa and beyond. Lyn’s garden has been
the springboard to fueling many a members’
addiction to bromeliads!!!!! We have much to be
thankful to Lyn for, as a result of our own needs
and search for learning about this amazing family
of plants! Thank you Lyn!
Dudley Reynolds welcomed everyone to the 5th
AGM and Birthday Bash. We welcomed our
ELBS is an Affiliated Society of Bromeliad Society International
East LondonEast LondonEast LondonEast London Bromeliad Society
South Africa Established: 25 July 2009
NEWS LETTER
July 2014
A happy band of ‘brommers’ at the 5th AGM and Birthday Bash!
Next meeting: Sunday 31st August at 2.30pm, to be hosted by Larraine Parathyras at 33 Main Road,
Abbotsford. Please remember to bring a chair for yourself!
Above, a view of Lyn’s top garden. Left, one of two
poles at the entrance, given the ‘yarn bomb’ treat-
ment! Made by Lyn’s mom, Stella Rowbotham last year. Trevor and Lyn Wegner, our hosts
every year for the Birthday Bash!
East London Bromeliad Society July 2014 Page 2
youngest visitors yet! Rebecca
were ecstatic with their
Attendance Lucky Draw wins,
budding collections! It was also
great to meet Jan and Gerda
Vermeulen, fairly new members,
soon!
After the business part of the meeting, the Chairman's report by Dudley Reynolds and a very casual election
of office bearers for the coming year, we all enjoyed a very festive and fun afternoon in the late winter
sunshine. After Show and Tell we moved on to the Attendance Lucky Draws which proved a hit for all present
who got to choose a ‘birthday bromeliad’ to take home. ‘Fizz Ananas’ was served to get everyone in the
mood for the annual quiz. There was some raucous friendly rivalry between the two teams, the Sexy Cyaneas
and the Tipsy Tillandsias!!!! All good fun in the end. We then held the monthly
raffle draws, plus everyone got to help themselves to the piles of give-away
plants supplied by Lyn and Tilly’s from Pete.
Show and Tell
Danie Conradie brought along a cryptanthus (right), he has growing in a
shallow container filled with water and clay 'balls' which he brought back
from one of his trips to Europe. He says these ‘balls’ placed around plants are
very popular in Europe.
visiting from Bloemfontein.
were thrilled with the plants that they
won in the Attendance Lucky Draw.
Another view of Lyn’ top garden. The beads hanging in the tree are a memento brought
back from the ‘Bromeliads in the Big Easy’ 2010 World Conference held in New Orleans.
East London Bromeliad Society July 2014 Page 3
Lyn Wegner showed her Aechmea 'Roberto Menescal' which she
almost lost. All that remained was a tiny piece which she left lying in
water in the cup of a bromeliad and the tiny plant has developed
roots! (See Christo van Wijk’s experience under Members Corner.)
Lyn Wegner also showed her Aechmea dealbata and Aechmea
fasciata. Both had a similar problem with some of the leaves having
turned brown and mushy over the winter period. Lyn forwarded
photos to Herb Plever for his comments. What do our country
members think could cause this problem?
Herb Plever (Editor: Bromeliad Society of New York) offered up some
insight into the problem:
This is a very tough problem to solve, especially at long distance
without the actual plants. I assume that the
browned leaves are not mushy (which
would indicate base rotting from
overwatering), but hard, brittle. I don't think
the plants were under watered; that would
lead to browned leaf tips or margins, not
large parts or the whole leaf. Also
significant is that this condition only occurs
in the winter.
plant is flowering, which leads me to
believe the plant is healthy. A reaction to
cold temperature is too simple an answer,
although the winter temperature may be
one factor. Generally, this group of plants
are relatively cold hardy 8 degrees C. is
certainly not very cold, and in any event
your A. dealbata gradually became cold-
hardened as the fall temperatures gradually lowered. So we have to look for a more complex diagnosis.
One possible though not wholly satisfactory answer may lie in the plant’s metabolism. Aechmeas are CAM
plants, that is they use Crassulacean Acid Metabolism to produce food. In this process, the leaf stomata open
at night to take in CO2 which is used to produce malic acid by early morning. (That acid is converted to sugar
food during the day when photosynthesis takes place.) The specialized chloroplast cells in some aechmeas
Aechmea dealbata. Aechmea fasciata.
Chairman, Dudley Reynolds brought along two magnificent tillys from his
collection, a Tillandsia didisticha and on the right a Tillandsia streptophylla x
brachycaulos forming its inflorescence.
Above left, Danie Conradie
brought a beautiful blooming
East London Bromeliad Society July 2014 Page 4
(and Aechmea dealbata might be
one of them) have walls that are
overly sensitive to high turgor
pressure which occurs from the
production of malic acid. In the
process of osmosis, the plasma
membrane pushes against the cell
wall and when the pressure is too
great the cell literally explodes and
dies.
large-scale leaf browning, why does
it only occur in the winter, and why
does it seem to affect mostly the
lower leaves? Perhaps the lower
temperatures in winter time may
have some effect on either the
turgor pressure, or the permeability of
the cell walls, or the ability of the cell
walls to withstand that pressure. As a
mere amateur dabbler in brom
biology, I’m only guessing at a
possible answer; a proper inquiry
would need a trained biologist who
does research into these matters.
I tend to discount viral or bacterial
infection as the answer, again
because the browning only happens
in the winter – though it is possible
even if unlikely that some of such
organisms may flourish only during
the winter.
the Annual AGM/Birthday Bash
Miriam Kennard for providing
• Maureen Bakkes for a delicious pineapple themed birthday cake.
• Pete Pfister for Tilly give-aways
• Lyn Wegner for a mountain of bromeliads as give-aways!
Tea Duty
August: Sue Pema, Christine and Koos Steyn and Larraine Parathyras.
September: Lynn Friend, Peter Pfister and Miriam Kennard.
October: Billy and Sheila Gerretsen, Barbara and Eddie Black and Brian and Bridget Kroger.
To facilitate catering, please confirm with Maureen Eybers (076 534 6054 or [email protected]) if you
are unable to provide eats when you are on duty.
Raffle Winners for July
Only Society members can buy tickets for the Raffle Draw. They can be bought for R5.00each from Norma
Hart at the meeting. Country members can buy raffle tickets from Lyn, your winning bromeliad will be posted
to you. We had an extra country member raffle draw this month in celebration of our 5th Birthday!
The Attendance Lucky Draws are open to members and visitors at the meeting.
Members are encouraged to bring special bromeliads for the raffle draw selection. They will be paid for their
plant if it is chosen by a winner.
Chairman’s Report 2014- Dudley Reynolds
Life is filled with mixed emotions, and circumstances. I find peace
and satisfaction in the plants that I collect, grow and nurture, I have
a special passion for them.
I am so privileged to share this passion with like-minded people as
yourselves here today, who also feel the same excitement about
bromeliads. This is the essence of our society.
How the first five years of our existence has rushed by. I clearly
remember our very first meeting, here at ‘Bromeliads for Africa’ with
13 founder members. Now our membership is standing at 100
members from East London and all over the country and even two
international members as well.
I would like to thank our committee for all their efforts and
dedication over the last year and of course, all the members,
without you this society would not exist.
Thank you to all the members who have opened their homes and
gardens to the society this year, provided delicious eats for tea time
at meetings and have contributed to our fabulous monthly
newsletter. We have an ongoing exchange of newsletters and
journals worldwide, which seems to be growing monthly. This in itself
is a wealth of information and keeps us up to date with what is
happening in the bromeliad world and different societies
worldwide.
We wish Lyn ‘Bon voyage’ as she prepares to leave for Hawaii in a
few weeks time to attend the 21st World Bromeliad Conference.
She will be representing all of us!
The past twelve months of meetings have been very informative
and enjoyable. Our year end braai and auction was a great event,
the auction was well organized and enjoyed by all and will
definitely be repeated for years to come.
If any of our country members are visiting the Eastern Cape, we
would love to see you at a meeting, or if you have time we can
organise visits to local bromeliad enthusiasts gardens. You will be
made most welcome.
I wish everyone everything of the best for the coming year.
Happy Bromming!
Congratulations to our July Winners!!
Raffle Winners • Danie Conradie chose Hohenbergia correia-
araujoi.
• Barbara Miles chose Billbergia ‘Hallelujah’.
• Adele and Beurich Groenewald from Cape Town
chose Aechmea mulfordii Rubra.
brevicollis.
Neoregelia 'Black Out'.
‘Nalo Rose’.
Attendance Lucky Draw Winners • There were lucky draws all round as a 5th
birthday treat for all in attendance, everyone got
to choose a bromeliad from a selection on
display.
all society meetings.
end of the newsletter.
Library
There are some books out on loan that are outstanding. Please could you return them to Brenda Wegner at
the next meeting to enable other members to take them out of the library.
If you are keen to learn more about bromeliads, the society does have a library of books and journals and our
newsletters are on a flash disc, all available on loan for a month at a time. Brenda Wegner is the lady to
contact to find out what is available. Cell: 082 743 2141 or [email protected]
Upcoming Society Events
31st August: To be hosted by Larraine Parathyras at 33 Main Road Abbotsford. Topic: tba.
28th September: To be hosted by Andre and Maureen Eybers. Topic: An seminar from the New Zealand
“Cool Broms’ conference DVD - ‘Bromeliads Light up your Life’ by Nigel Thomson.
26th October: To be hosted by Brenda Wegner. Topic: Lyn Wegner will share her experiences of the 21st
World Bromeliad Conference in Hawaii that she will be attending in about 4 weeks time!
30th November: End of year function hosted by Eddie and Barbara Black.
Upcoming International Events
September 2014: Hawaii will host the 21st World Bromeliad Conference. Lyn leaves on the 6th September to
participate in the conference as a BSI director and participant, plus will get to spend some time visiting
nurseries, local gardens and some of the sights in Hawaii! To say we are green with envy is putting it very
mildly! All our good wishes will be traveling along with her!
16 - 19 April 2015: 18th Australasian Bromeliad Conference, Parramatta, Australia hosted by the Bromeliad
Society of Australia. For more information go to www.bromeliad.org.au
Member’s Corner From Gerrie Brits in George: While visiting their children in California, USA, Gerrie and Dalene Brits asked their
daughter to find a local bromeliad society in their area. Carl Carter, chairman of the San Francisco Bromeliad
society, sent them a link giving information of a rare bromeliad in bloom – a once in a lifetime chance of
Barbara Miles chose Billbergia
Hohenbergia correia-araujoi.
East London Bromeliad Society July 2014 Page 6
witnessing this occurrence as the plant is
reputed to bloom only once every 100
years! And what an overwhelming
experience it proved to be to see such a
huge and unique bromeliad in bloom.
Against the misty backdrop of the hilly
slopes of the botanical garden, majestic
Puya raimondii rose eight meters above all
the other plants, pushing its strong flower
stalk into the air. Few people in the world
have been privileged to witness this sight –
the flower will last for about a month.
The following is an excerpt from the link,
http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/UC-
Berkeley-s-rare-Queen-of-the-Andes-plant-
the Andes' plant blooms 75 years early by
Sam Whiting. (Updated 9:25, Saturday, July
5, 2014)
A South American Puya raimondii plant,
known for taking up to 100 years to bloom, has started to pop in Berkeley after just 24 years, which may be a
world record. Planted as a seed in 1990 at the UC Botanical Garden at Berkeley, the 20-foot Puya
unexpectedly sprouted a bud on 3 May. The bud stalk grew 10 feet in three months before a dozen white
flowers bloomed this week. It will continue to bloom for a month, and when it peaks, it will show tens of
thousands of white flowers at the tips of each horn-shaped branch, like the little white lights on a Christmas
tree. The bloom is an event that happens just once in its lifetime.
"The grand opening is this weekend," said UC Botanical Garden director Paul Licht, who has been charting the
growth of the bud each day since it appeared as a topknot above leaves that resemble a porcupine. "No
Puya raimondii has ever bloomed this young anywhere in the world, as far as we know."
A rare and endangered species, the Puya raimondii is called the ‘Queen of the Andes’ and in 2013 there was
an exceedingly rare mass blooming of Puya growing wild in Bolivia. At high altitude, it is among the slowest-
flowering of all plant species. But transferred to warm coastal climates, it can grow amazingly fast. The last
time a Puya sprouted at Berkeley was in September 1986. A 28-year-old plant blossomed and attracted a
pilgrimage of thousands of botanists and garden clubbers to the sanctuary in Strawberry.
"Very few people have ever seen one of these actually flower," UC botanist Daniel Campbell told The
Chronicle at the time. "It's a bit like seeing Halley's Comet. I don't ever expect to see another one flowering in
my lifetime."
But 20 years later, a Puya flowered after 34 years at the botanical garden in Golden Gate Park. The stalk went
up 25 feet and became so top-heavy it tipped over, recalled curator Dan Mahoney. It kept on elongating and blooming while lying on its side, though the effect was somewhat spoiled.
The Berkeley Puya were collected from seed in the wilds of Bolivia by a team of botanists from the New York
Botanical Garden. Coming unexpectedly upon the Puya in bloom, the scientists threw rocks at it until they
shook loose the seeds, which they gathered up, brought home and sent around, according to the U.S.
National Herbarium's Larry Door, who was among the rock-throwers. Twelve seeds arrived in Berkeley on 16
November 1990, and were planted in pots. Four years
later, they were transplanted to the ground. Gophers
and rats are attracted to the starch needed to power its
growth spurt, and only three have survived. The other
two, within a few yards of the bloom, are showing no
signs of a bud.
From Christo van Wijk from Pretoria: Here are photos of
my Neoregelia ‘Jaline’ that I nearly lost. Lyn passed on a
tip a while ago about putting a pup into the cup of
another bromeliad with water in it to help it recover. I
am sure if Lyn had not told me about this, both these
plants of mine would have been lost. So thanx again!! I
put them into the crown of other bromeliads to see if
they would recover and develop roots, then I forgot
The base of Neoreglia
forming.
crown of another neoregelia.
East London Bromeliad Society July 2014 Page 7
about them. Neoregelia ‘Jaline’ was in the crown of the other plant when the
bad frost hit recently and I lost many bromeliads, but it survived!! I have taken
photos showing the very bad cut and the new pup emerging from the cut, I
initially thought it was a root.
I did not take any photos of the progress of the Vriesea ‘White Cloud’ which
was also in a bad way, I have included a photo of the plant (right) as it is now,
it is growing !!
From Lyn Wegner: This tip appeared in one of the overseas newsletters we
receive. It works in South Africa too!
From Richard Knipe in Despatch: Below: A few photos of my bromeliads in my
very dry winter garden in the Eastern Cape.
Are you looking for a special brom
that is on your wish list? Advertise it
here and who knows, you might hit
the jackpot!
Share your garden story or special
bromeliad with us, e-mail me with
p i c t u r e s a n d w o r d s a t
[email protected], we would
From the Editor
July sees another birthday come and go in our society’s history, time flies when you are busy and having fun,
not so? Another year of sharing experiences, knowledge, swapping plants and camaraderie. Many thanks to
all of you who make up our merry band and to those who are so willing to share your gardens and
experiences with others, it is much appreciated by all of us. I would like to encourage country members to
pay us a visit some time, it is great to meet you and chat ‘broms’ and to those of you who can’t visit, do feel
free to share your successes or problems with us via the newsletter. You can e-mail myself or Lyn with your
story and photos so that we can share it with the members.
We are, as always, very thankful for constructive feedback on a variety of bromeliad and editorial issues from
Herb Plever, who is the editor of the bromeliad journal, Bromeliana, New York. We acknowledge that we are
a young society, there is much to learn and we welcome input and advice from experienced bromeliad
collectors, society members and editors and readers from far and wide. We are, after all, in this together and
out of it we all learn something and derive different levels of immense personal satisfaction and moments of
joy when our broms reward us for all our endeavours, with an amazing show!
Dare I hope that spring is in the air at the beginning of August???!!! The birds in and around our garden are
extremely busy, the weavers are already stripping the palms to practice making their nests, the hornbills are
feeding on the syringa berries and it is merry mayhem at the feeder all morning with a pecking order
between breeds! Leads me to think they know something is up as far as the approach of warmer weather is
concerned. There has been a subtle shift in the temperatures the last two weeks, especially at night, combine
that with very welcome rain showers we’ve been getting the last week, this can only be good for all our
broms. The ones I have protected from the cold can maybe come out of hiding soon.
This year, two of our society members, Brenda Wegner and Larraine Parathyras will be opening their gardens
for the Pam Golding Show Gardens of East London in aid of local charities. It is being held on the weekend of
4 - 5 October. I know that their gardens will be greatly enjoyed and admired and it is a wonderful opportunity
to promote bromeliads to the East London public. Good luck ladies as you prepare for the event, your
gardens are stunning as they are and they will impress folks big time!!!
Hope to see you all at the next meeting at Larraine Parathyras’ home, you will enjoy an interesting afternoon
and a wonderful garden.
East London Bromeliad Society July 2014 Page 8
This is a publication for the East London Bromeliad Society, South Africa for the interest of its members. Articles
may be used by non profit societies with acknowledgement to the above.
Committee Members:
Chairman Dudley Reynolds 079 488 2360 [email protected]
Vice- Chairman Dr Peter Pfister 043 748 1317 082 625 5533 [email protected]
PRO & Secretary Lyn Wegner 043 736 1737 082 970 2293 [email protected]
Treasurer Eddie Black 043 7212775 0825505347 [email protected]
Editor & Publisher Barbara Black 043 7212775 072 1787 421 [email protected]
Librarian Brenda Wegner 082 743 2141 [email protected]
Raffles Norma Hart 043 7211364 084 602 3953
Catering Maureen Eybers 043 748 2254 076 534 6054 [email protected]
Event Co-ordinators: Brenda Wegner 082 743 2141 [email protected]
Larraine Parathyras 043 726 3167 082 594 4559 [email protected]
Zoo Co-ordinator Dudley Reynolds 079 488 2360 [email protected]
Member Andre Eybers 043 748 2254 082 572 2448 [email protected]
You can view most of all the bromeliads mentioned in meetings or in the newsletter at the following websites:
bsi.org (Bromeliad Society International) where you can access the BSI Cultivar Registry, the BSI Journal online
and lots more interesting stuff.
fcbs.org (Florida Council of Bromeliad Societies). This is a very useful site to reference many bromeliads where
you can clarify identification or just trawl through the site and add to your wish list! .
Being affiliated to the BSI gives us access to the BSI Journal, which is available in the library or you can access
it online. Copy and paste the following into your browser:
http://members.bsi.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=8&Itemid=9
You will be asked for a username and password, which is:
Username: 6841 Password: bsi
Remember that you can find ELBS on Facebook : [email protected] You will be able to
upload your photos and comments on the wall. Our page and other bromeliad related sites are becoming a
useful and informative forum to meet up with other like-minded folks. There are also many other sites that you
can join and become part of a world wide online sharing environment.
Photo Credits: Barbara Black , Lyn Wegner, Gerrie Brits, Christo van Wijk, Richard Knipe
East London Bromeliad Society July 2014 Page 9
ELBS 5th Birthday 2014 - Quiz Questions
1. What is a basal pup or offset? This is the most common form of pupping and comes straight
from the base.
means?
The plant blooms once then dies.
3. If a bromeliad is described as a terrestrial what does
that mean?
It grows in the ground.
4. If a bromeliad is described as an epiphyte what does
this mean?
It grows on trees, wood, rocks or anything it can attach to.
5. Dyckias and cryptanthus are terrestrials or epiphytes? Terrestrials.
6. What is a bract? A brightly coloured 'leaf' on the flower stem or just below the
inflorescence.
7. Tim Plowman. What genus has a plant with this
name?
It is the curly leafed Quesnelia marmorata variety.
8. What can you use to attach plants to mounts? Pantihose, wire (not copper), nails or cable ties.
9. What does BSI stand for? Bromeliad Society International.
10. Many vrieseas have plain green soft foliage. What
are the large varieties such as Vriesea 'Red Chestnut'
referred to?
Foliage vrieseas (pattern leaf vrieseas).
11. What are the parents referred to when you cross two
plants?
Seed or Pod and Pollen parents.
12. Should you feed your earth stars and what is their
botanical name?
13. What genus can tolerate the least light? Nidularium
14. A plant referred to as variegated has what colour
along the leaf edge?
growing bromeliads?
Scale.
16. What encourages scale? Plants positioned too closely to each other, lack of air
movement or dry conditions.
17. What is deadly to bromeliads? Copper, eg. tanalith poles which are treated with copper.
18. What does the term grex mean? Plants that come from the same cross ie. have the same
parents.
20. The mother plants produce babies which are referred
to as?
Pups or offsets.
21. When can you separate pups from the mother plant? They should be at least 1/3 of the size of the mother plant.
22. Why should you separate pups from the mother
plant?
To speed up the process of the mother plant producing
more pups.
which have a flat rosette form.
23. What does flavomarginated mean? Yellow edged foliage.
24. What does it mean if your plant is 'quilling'? Why? Emerging new leaves have a sticky substance between
them which needs diluting so if conditions are dry the leaves
stick together and form a cone shape referred to as quilling.
25. What does the term 'novar' mean? No variegation eg. Neoregelia 'Perfection' novar, is a
Neoregelia 'Perfection' which has lost it's variegation.