This is an interesting plant that was first found and collected by Tropiflora's, Dennis Cathcart, on a 1993 expedition. The habitat is the geologically incredible ‘Valle de la Luna’ outside of La Paz, Bolivia. An area of highly eroded hard clay and sandstone that resembles, to some, the surface of the moon. There are thousands of pinnacles and steep cliffs. The occasional shelf holds many species of cacti and at least oneTillandsia; Til. prolata. The plants grow in huge clusters of thousands of plants. All are connected and form long, caulescent stems with short, broadly triangular leaves, covered with silvery trichomes. Roots may or may not form. The inflorescence is a simple spike to about eight inches, with dry, brown bracts and bearing large white, fragrant flowers with spreading petals forming an open corolla.
When first discovered, it was unknown in cultivation, and it was assumed that it would likely not survive at sea level. The habitat is just short of 12,000 feet of altitude with a very dry atmosphere. Harry Luther at the Marie Selby Botanical Gardens described the plant asTillandsia xiphioides ssp. Prolataafter flowering it in cultivation in 1995. Since then it was elevated to a full species;prolata, by Gouda and Barfuss in 2015.
For best results, grow bright and on the dry side. Otherwise the culture is like that of many other high altitude, dry growing Tillandsias which seem to thrive in almost any conditions.
A cultivar of (calyculata x recurvata) is a tough and handsome small grower that keeps a compact shape in varying light conditions. The recurvata parent lends an upright, compact, vase-like shape, and the calyculata parent adds the bright yellow flowering inflorescence. Nice for landscape around boulders.
I know bromeliaceae that I have grown and known way up here in the frozen tundra. Yes, here in East Tennessee USA the land is stretched out horizontally east to west. Formerly from the Atlantic Coast to the great Mississippi River, as Carolina, after Andrew Jackson evicted all the Cherokee Nation.....
Any way I digress.
This is one of my current top ten cold hardy landscaping bromeliads. Originally I got one offset from nurseryman, hybridizer, and all round nice guy Grant Groves maybe 10 years ago.
With out a name tag.
But I know bromeliaceae, and I've been growing them since 1979. This Ae. 'Phoenix' is the same clonotype, or cultivated variety.
Xander Karatas. Somewhere in the Smokies.
M
Malcolm M.
Aechmea Phoenix - looking forward to seeing it bloom!
The plant arrived in good condition, and I can't wait to see it bloom.
Dyckia 'California'
2598
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A hybrid from Bill Baker. Compact growth from of glossy burgundy leaves that are recurved. Has distinct white marginal spines. The rosette is up to 8 inches across at maturity. Grows best in full sun.
A cultivar of a hybrid by Chan with only the seed parent being named: ‘Morning Star’. A neat, compact rosette of fairly stiff, dark silvery leaves that are about ¾ inch wide and taper to a point. The marginal spines are stout and serrate, white in color.
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Clumping, smaller form which matures at only about 12 to 18in. Native to Colombia, it has slightly grayish-green leaves with darker reticulations, arranged along a short stem. This plant has a clustering habit and produces multiple branched spikes of yellow. Not a rare plant, but nice.
When I moved back to my hometown, I moved with my growing bromeliad collection.
By 1986 I was beginning to cross pollenate broms.
I bought a Vriesea ospinae which grew well in my greenhouse. It was a prolific pup producer. Never got it to bloom, yet it was a beautiful green foliage clump.
In the new century I bought this species again from Tropiflora, now reclassified as genus Goudaea. It's still an attractive bromeliad, no matter the name.
A Alexander Callison
Rainforest.
Neoregelia ampullacea
384
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Small stoloniferous plants, green with red spots. Can take on an overall reddish hue in bright conditions. Great for terrariums and hanging pots.
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