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East London Bromeliad Society South Africa November 2016

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!

October Meeting Thirty three members met at the home of Malcolm and Pam Stoltz last

month, it was super to also welcome 5 visitors to the meeting which was a

real show off, with lots of bromeliads in bloom being shown by some of the

members. So I hope you all enjoyed the meeting and also the lovely

garden and Malcolm's stunning collection of bonsai!!! Thank you for your

welcoming and warm hospitality and hosting us again this year Malcolm

and Pam!

Some Blooming Bromeliads from our Members

Brenda Wegner brought Quesnelia

edmundoi, a spectacular form plant with

a striking yellow inflorescence which gets

tiny little white flowers. I grow mine in full

sun for most of the day. This species is

endemic to Brazil.

Vriesea carinata yellow, grows on bushes

or low on trees in shady and humid areas

in rain forests of southern Brazil. This dainty

Vriesea is one of the most charming

members in the

genus. Leaves

are light green

and a flattened

spike emerges

from the rosette. From each bract a bright yellow

flower appears. The inflorescence is either erect or

semi-erect and has been compared to the plumage

of a tropical bird. Numerous offsets form in the leaf

axils. There is also a miniature form. Mine are grown in

a shady spot and receive lots of light.

Aechmea cylindrata blue cone is native to southeastern Brazil from Sao Paulo to Santa

Catrina. The leaves are green and the inflorescence is electrifying when grown in groups

or clusters. I have many clusters in shady and sunny spots around the garden and also

mounted on trees.

ELBS is an Affiliated Society of Bromeliad Society International

East LondonEast LondonEast LondonEast London Bromeliad Society

South Africa Established: 25 July 2009

NEWS LETTER

November 2016

Next meeting: Sunday 27 November: You are invited to our annual social day hosted by Theo and Bev McGregor at Solitaire Estate, Cove Ridge, starting at 12.00am, see you all there!

Our awesome hosts for the afternoon,

Pam and Malcolm Stoltz with their

choice of host brom, Neoregelia 'Black

Knight’ x 'Dr Oeser'.

Quesnelia edmundoi

Aechmea cylindrata Blue

Vriesea carinata yellow


Lyn Wegner brought some

interesting blooming

bromeliads: Nidularium

rutilans (previously called

regelioides), N. rutilans var.

rosulatum and N. 'Red

Queen'. A few varieties,

all with attractive

inflorescences nestled

down in the centre of the

rosettes and green foliage

except 'Red Queen'

which has very nice

burgundy leaves. Mine

are all growing in shady

spots.

Nidularium angustifolium.

Another nice plant, a

species, with green

upright slightly spinier

leaves than most nidulariums. Mine grow in a brighter

spot. The red inflorescence with blue flowers is eye

catching.

Orthophytum 'Stardust'. A beautiful 1992 Michael

Kiehl hybrid which has red floral bracts and white

flowers. The seed parent O. gurkenii and the pollen

parent O. lemei.

Tillandsia 'Ed Doherty'. Ed, a special man! was the

Treasurer of BSI for many years. It is a cross between T.

aeranthos and T. leonamiana. Mine grows in sunny

spots in the garden and is an easy grower with a

cherry coloured flower spike and bright blue flowers.

Aechmea 'Aztec Gold'. This is a beautiful yellow

striped form of Ae. recurvata. Mine grow in a sunny

position and I find it most attractive. I grow it for the

foliage and not the flower. I Googled for some info and found the amazing story by

John Catlan which also appears in his booklet 'Under the Mango Tree' which is

available in our library. You just have to read this article!

Aechmea 'Roberto Menescal'. Wow! A spectacular bromeliad! Amazing foliage! I

don't need a flower! It was registered in 2000 and is a tissue culture sport of Aechmea chantinii. I grow mine, I

have 2, in a very sunny spot and I am pleased that they are doing very well. One of these didn't look good

when it arrived in SA so I placed it in the cup of another brom. And just look at it now! It really is amazing how

broms that are struggling miraculously recover when placed in a brom cup. Have you put this to the test yet?

Orthophytum ‘Stardust’

Aechmea 'Roberto Menescal'

Aechmea 'Aztec Gold'

Tillandsia 'Ed Doherty'

Nidularium ‘Red Queen’ Nidularium rutilans var. rosulatum

Nidularium rutilans, (was N.

regelioides)

Nidularium angustifolium

Dudley Reynolds brought

Vriesea simplex which we

don’t often see.

Dr Pete Pfister brought some interesting broms, Aechmea angustifolia with its yellow

inflorescence which turns to attractive white berries. In the middle is Guzmania

conifera with its interesting shape and right a stunning red Guzmania variety.


Show and Tell

Robert Moss talked about how he grows his bromeliad seed. He brought

along a Vriesea seed pod, some germinating seed and some growing in an

open container which he keeps moist.

I have been using sphagnum moss but found that it retained too much

moisture. I have recently started using palm peat with 10 % fine bark added

to it just to improve drainage and aeration.

Library - Brenda Wegner Journal of the Bromeliad Society international, October - December 2015 - Volume 65

(4): 217-288

Just mentioning a few articles:

• The journal is divided into sections and under the General/People section are

interesting stories relating to Hermann Prinsler from Germany and Tom Wolfe from

USA who are both celebrating over 50 years with the BSI. Interesting reading about

their lives in general and how they became involved with bromeliads.

• Stolons in Neoregelia is discussed under the Horticulture section as well as an

Overdue Introduction to Orthophytum sucrei Luther.

• The cover photo of the journal is a new and highly ornamental Pitcairnia species

from Peru and is reviewed under the Science section.

We have many BSI Journals full of interesting reading in the library, besides many

other interesting books and journals. Contact me should you wish to come and select

a few. Cell: 082 743 2141

Member News • We welcome new country members Hennie and Marie Visser from George, we hope you have a long and

rewarding association with the society and its members!

• Congratulations to ELBS country member John Kloppers from Groblersdal on his appointment as President

of the Cycad Society of South Africa.

Thanks • Bev Owen, Helena van de Ham, Malcolm and Pam Stoltz for providing delicious goodies for tea time.

Robert Moss sharing with the

members how he grows his seed.

Dudley Reynolds showed a few of his collection

of mini neoregelia all colouring up nicely now

summer is well on its way.

Seeing as we are all inspired by growing seed, this is the

Vriesea hieroglyphica which Robert grew from seed! Photo

taken January 2014

Right, Vriesea

seed pods and

germinating seeds

at various stages

right, and below

in a plastic basket

type container.


• Dr Peter Pfister, Norma Hart and Lyn Wegner for lucky draw plants.

• Lyn Wegner for giveaway Tillandsia fasciculata seed.

Congratulations to the Raffle Winners for October! • Lynn F r iend chose

Nidularium rutilans.

• Lyn Odendaal chose

Neoregelia 'Chirripo'.

• Irene Manthe chose an

unnamed Neoregelia.

• Peter Pf i ster chose

Quesnelia edmundoi var.

rubrobracteata.

• John and Ma r yna

Kloppers from Groblersdal

chose Neoregelia 'Black

Moon' x 'Fairchild'.

• Richard King from Darling chose Neoregelia ‘White

Wedgewood’.

• Avikar Chunilall from Durban chose Neoregelia ((carolinae x

concentrica) x 'Crayola') x 'Victory'.

• Avikar Chunilall won two raffles and also chose Neoregelia

4873-18 x 'Victory'.

Lucky Draws

There were numerous lucky draw winners.

From the Chairman - Dudley Reynolds How the years seem to slip away so quickly. Christmas is just

around the corner again! In my garden the bromeliads are

showing great leaf colouration after what seems to have been

a long winter. The well overdue rains have been so welcome.

For you guys who still have water restrictions it is a time for

improvisation, at least we don’t have to deal with hurricanes

here in South Africa.

The beauty of having a sizeable collection of bromeliads is that

there is always something happening in the garden. I have

been delighted recently in noticing I have a lot of new flower spikes emerging,

especially amongst the aechmea. Some of them have not flowered for me before, so

there are exciting times ahead.

I recently had to move my Cryptanthus collection to another spot. The Hadeda Ibis

were having a royal time searching for earthworms in the pots, resulting in me having

to constantly repot 20 - 30 plants on a daily basis. So I hope that problem is sorted out

now.

As the year comes to an end and Christmas is the time of giving, consider giving a

friend a bromeliad. Who knows? You might be creating another addict! Until next time,

happy bromming.

From the Committee • In order to prepare for the BBB (Black Bag Brom) surprise Lucky Dip at the end of

year function, start prepping a bromeliad to give as a gift in a black bag.

• Also do set aside any bromeliads and/or plants you wish to donate towards the

auction. The money raised this year will go towards the BSI 66 Fund .

Upcoming Society Events

Save the date!!! Sunday, 27th November: You are invited to our annual social day and the last time we meet

for the year. This function is for members, their spouses and children.

To be hosted by Bev and Theo McGregor at Solitaire Estate, Cove Ridge, starting at 12.00am, fires to be lit at

1.00pm.

Dr Peter Pfister Lynn Friend Lyn Odendaal Irene Manthe

Neoregelia 'Black Moon' x

'Fairchild' Neo rege l ia ‘Wh i te

Wedgewood’

Neoregelia ((carolinae x

concentrica) x 'Crayola')

x 'Victory'

Neoregelia 4873-18 x

'Victory'

Barbara Black, the News-

letter Editor and Lyn

Odendaal the Raffle Co-

ordinator.


• We will have a Bring and Braai and meet at 12 o’clock, not our usual 2pm.

• PLEASE BRING: A chair/s, your meat, braai tongs, plates, cutlery, glasses and drinks. The fire, paper plates,

salads, rolls and fun will be provided.

• There will be a BBB Surprise Lucky Dip!! (Black Bag Brom Surprise) In order to participate, you need to bring

a bromeliad wrapped in a black bag, so it cannot be seen, they will all be put together and you will have

a chance to choose a lucky BBB Surprise! and go home with a bromeliad for your collection.

• There will also be a fun auction, so bring plants or anything garden related you wish to donate to put up for

auction to raise funds towards the BSI 66 Fund. This is always loads of fun!

January 2017! Our first meeting of the New Year will be hosted by Trevor and Lyn Wegner at Bromeliads for

Africa, 18 Wentworth Road, Sunnyridge at 2.00pm. Topics: Labelling - why is it important? By Brenda Wegner

and Seed Propagation demonstration by Dudley Reynolds.

February: Gale Kockjeu at 3 Greenan Street, Berea. (Will be confirmed)

March: Irene Manthe at 27 Epping Road Nahoon Valley.

Upcoming International Events 2017: The 19th Australasian Bromeliad Conference, Sunnybroms on the Sunshine Coast will be held in

Caloundra on the Sunshine Coast, Queensland 31 March to 2 April 2017. For more information do check out

http://sunnybroms.com

2018: World Bromeliad Conference to be held in San Diego, California from 29 May to 3 June. Check out the

Conference Corner at bsi.org for more information.

Member’s Corner Lyn Wegner: Great excitement! At last! After many years in my garden Alcantarea nahoumii is starting to

bloom. Looks spectacular!

Last month local member David Flint told us all about his experiences with Ananas! The subject of this talk was

about the healing power of pineapples. A friend who also has sinus problems gave me a pineapple; he said it

worked for him!

It is serendipity (a happy accident) that a pineapple is part of the Ananas genus, a bromeliad!

Skeptical at first but surprise, surprise, it worked! My interest piqued, the next logical question has to be ‘why’

ananas, a bromeliad, has this effect?

Research shows that that one of the principal ingredients is an enzyme called ‘bromelain’ which is a powerful

anti-inflammatory used in treating numerous ailments. Also, the power house of this plant contains Vitamin C,

folic acid, beta carotene, magnesium, phosphorus and potassium. Its sugary taste is made up of healthy low

calorie sugars that satisfy even the evening sugar rush safely.

Pineapples also contain the mood enhancer serotonin that acts as a mood enhancer and an appetite

suppressant.

My opinion of the humble pineapple and genus Ananas rose considerably during my research. For many

reasons my bromeliad of choice is still tillandsia, but ananas may be a very under-estimated part of the

bromeliad family.

Lyn Wegner: Did you take some of the Tillandsia seed offered at our

meeting? The photo shows mine 'sown' on the 1st November. I wiped the

seed onto a piece of shade cloth which is positioned loosely in the bottom

of a plant tray. I will keep it in a semi shady spot and mist it when I

remember! Watch this space as we monitor the germination process!

Tillandsia seed is easy to grow, much easier than vriesea seed although the

actual seeds are very similar looking, described as parachute like with a

'weight' on one end. The seed flies around and will 'land' and germinate on

almost

anything.

The tillandsia seeds don't take long to

germinate. I don't grow my tillandsia seed and

allow it to blow around my garden, and land

on whatever takes it's fancy! I like to see the

little seedlings growing naturally in my garden.

Volume 65(1) of the BSI Journal has a

wonderful article on page 28, 'Sowing

Tillandsia in a low-tech system- an illustrated Lyn Wegner’s Alcantarea

nahoumii , 1 November.

And ten days later

on 10 November! On the 28 November!


manual' by Eric Gouda. It has lots of illustrations and is ever so easy to understand.

And it is available in our library.

Brenda Wegner: We have had a pair of resident Wagtails in the garden forever it

seems. As soon as they have reared one lot of chicks they start building a new nest.

They have built their nests among the bromeliads, mainly neoregelia are chosen.

The neo's form a sturdy platform to support the nests and also give some protection.

We so enjoy having them around.

Something interesting: from ‘Bromelcairns’ the newsletter of the Cairns Bromeliad

Society Inc. 2016 # 5 Queensland Australia.

So if you can spare some of your favourite lager, give it a try??

Mosquito Yard Spray:

• Big bottle blue cheap mouthwash

• 3 cups Epsom salts

• 3 x 12oz bottles cheap beer

• Mix together until salt is dissolved.

Spray anywhere you sit outside, around pools, will not harm plants or flowers.

Mosquitoes are gone from that area for around 80 days. I spray around my deck

and sitting areas twice a summer. They leave the sprayed area and will not come

back. Been using this mixture for last 18 years - it works. The stronger you make the

mix, the longer it lasts. Mosquitoes and bugs hate it. Nice minty smell.

Barbs: I am going to try it as this year we are being plagued with them already!

COUNTRY AND LOCAL MEMBERS Thank you to all of you who have sent in items of

interest this year!! Do keep it up and send me any interesting news/developments you wish to share. Local

members if your bromeliad is too big to bring along to the meeting for Show and Tell, e-mail a photo to me or

Lyn. We would love to hear from all of you.

Editor’s Corner We went on some more travels early

in November to visit our family in Port

Elizabeth. We managed to visit two

of our country members while there.

On Saturday afternoon we went to

meet Kathy and Allan Botha who live

in Walmer Heights, amazing how you

know the house because you spot

the broms long before anything else!

Well we were in for a real treat, a

spectacular collection of bromeliads

surrounding most of the house and

garden, loads of neoregelia to die

for and Kathy being a wonderful

artist has an eye for layout and using

colour and form as her guide to

show off the plants to their very best

advantage. Lots of dappled shade has been created and what I found

very interesting was that Allan had made a portable shade cloth screen

which was being used to shelter some struggling tree ferns from the PE

wind. We were there for hours, so much to talk about and not just

bromeliads !!!!!!!!!!! It was wonderful, thank you Kathy and Allan.

On the Sunday afternoon we popped in to visit Dawid and Scherine Botha in Framesby. Dawid started out as

an orchid man, then clivia, (Dawid is the new editor of the EPCC (Eastern Province Clivia Society) and is now

besotted with bromeliads, foliage vriesea in particular. I happen to know, he, he! that he has got loads more

on order since visiting him, go for it Dawid and good luck with your hybridising and seed growing ventures. I

love your enthusiasm! Dawid has also planted a very interesting indigenous garden at the back of his property

devoted to indigenous grasses, trees and Protea varieties. Many were blooming, soooo beautiful. As it

develops it is going to be spectacular. Thanks Dawid for sharing all your enthusiasm and ideas with us. Good

luck with the extensions to the new shade house, more space, more plants!

It has been quite exciting to get news from many of the folk who received the seed from Rob Murray In

Isn’t this so special? Brenda

Wegner’s very hungry

nesting wagtails.

Allan and Kathy Botha with Eddie Black in

their stunning garden. Note the portable

shade cloth frames in the other photo.


Australia, that I recently posted to

them. The seed is germinating and

things are happening. Local

member's seed is also germinating!

Hopefully more of you are going to

get the bug. Keep us updated.

And so we are almost at the end of

another year. In between all the

rushing around, take some time to

reflect on the important stuff that

makes us tick over as happy human

beings! How was your year? Its high-

l i g h t s a nd l ow - l i g h t s , i t s

achievements and challenges. What

did I learn? Hopefully lots about

bromeliads!!! It has not been an easy

year for many of us, full of ups and

downs, some we have no control over, but hey? how wonderful it is to

escape into the garden or your collection of plants and lose yourself in

thought for a while. My favourite pastime!!!!!! Food for your soul, treasure

it. Just do what you know to be right, meaningful and caring for yourself

and your family and friends and you can add to a collective sense of

“ubuntu’ in your circle of influence and community.

I must thank those who consistently support me in my part of putting this

newsletter together (which is horribly late this month due to some

uncontrollable events in my life!!), firstly my dear husband Eddie, who now

finds himself involved with ‘catering’ for his sins, haha!!!!!! We shall see

how long that lasts! I am pretty sure he is purely motivated by the fact

that no tea/cake at the meetings is unthinkable!!! So British!!! So between

him and Larraine they will see that we don’t starve! Secondly, Lyn Wegner,

who proofs the newsletter, not once, but twice! And still those of you who

read it probably pick up the odd errors! all I can say is we are not

journalists, we just sharing what we love talking about and doing! Spread

the love!

[email protected]

072 1787 421

You can access all the back copies of our 2016 newsletter at the

following site which Peter Cook has very kindly created a link to ELBS

newsletters on the Sunnybroms (Australia) web page. Thanks Peter.

https://bromeliadnewsletters.wordpress.com/east-london-south-africa/

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. Any opinions expressed in articles are not necessarily those of the Society.

ELBS is an affiliate of the Bromeliad Society International.

ELBS Address: c/o 18 Wentworth Road, Sunnyridge, East London 5201 South Africa,

[email protected]

We meet on the last Sunday of every month, January to November, at various venues

around East London. We have a topic for each meeting and Show and Tell where members are encouraged to bring along their brag or

problem plants. There are member raffles, lucky draws for those present, tea time, library and member plant sales, plus a monthly

newsletter sent out via e-mail only. Visitors are always welcome and can attend three meetings before they will need to join the society in

order to continue attending. Annual subs are R120.00 for individuals/families and R60 for students.

Part of his brom garden, above and

below, the first love of his life before he

met bromeliads, just some of the stunning

orchids in his collection!

Yours truly with Dawid Botha in his

temperature and humidity controlled

shade house used mostly for his amazing

orchid collection and now the addition of

the first of his vriesea collection , above on

the right!


You will find ELBS on Facebook: [email protected] or type ‘East London Bromeliad Society’ into the fb search bar.

You can request to join the group and will then be able to upload your photos and comments on the wall. The ELBS SA page and other

bromeliad related sites are becoming a useful and informative forum to share and ‘meet up’ with other like-minded bromeliad folks.

There are also many other bromeliad related sites that you can join and become part of a world wide online sharing environment.

You can view most of all the bromeliads mentioned in meetings or in the newsletter at the following websites:

The BSI’s official Bromeliad Cultivar Registry www.registry.bsi.org which is maintained by Geoff Lawn, the BSI Cultivar Registrar. Plus other

information regarding the Bromeliad Society International is found at bsi.org

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!

Encyclopedia of Bromeliads - http://bromelia.club (Bromeliad Taxonomists and Growers Society) has photographs. It also now has keys for

the genera and sub-genera. If you like to be informed what is happening, just follow on Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/bromeliadsencyclopedia

For internet resources you can also go to TAXON (The New Bromeliad List) for the most authoritative and right up to date list of genera

and species, accepted and new names and taxonomic keys - http://botu07.bio.uu.nl/bcg/taxonList.php

Committee Members

Chairman: Dudley Reynolds 079 488 2360 [email protected]

Vice- Chairman: Dr Peter Pfister 082 625 5533 [email protected]

PRO & Secretary: Lyn Wegner 043 736 1737 082 970 2293 [email protected]

Treasurer: Lynn Friend 043 748 2271 083 318 1179 [email protected]

Editor & Publisher: Barbara Black 043 7212775 O72 1787 421 [email protected]

Proof Reader: Lyn Wegner 043 736 1737 082 970 2293 [email protected]

Raffles: Lyn Odendaal 043 726 1075 083 441 6813 [email protected]

Sound System: Gerald Vogt 043 726 1075 [email protected]

Librarian: Brenda Wegner 082 743 2141 [email protected]

Catering Co-ordinators: Eddie Black and

Larraine Parathyras

043 7212775

043 726 3167

082 5505 347

082 594 4559

[email protected]

[email protected]

Events Co-ordinator: Brenda Wegner 082 743 2141 [email protected]

Photo Credits: Barbara Black, Brenda Wegner, Lyn Wegner, fcbs.org

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