east londoneast london - wordpress.com · east london bromeliad society south africa november 2017...

East London Bromeliad Society South Africa November 2017

Next Meeting: Annual Bring and Braai, BBB Surprise and Auction hosted by Bryan and

Brenda Wegner on Sunday, 26 October at 19 Putney Ave, Nahoon Valley at 12.00 am.

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!

A super October meeting was held at the home of Val Nel and her daughter Caryn Dunlop in Vincent

Heights. We had 28 members and 3 visitors join us to see Val’s lovely landscaped gardens at the front of the

house and the back garden has loads of lovely bromeliads and interesting features while Caryn’s garden is

more of a traditional garden with lovely

lavenders, roses and creeper growing over

an arch. Dr Pete Pfister did the honours of

running the meeting this month as Dudley

was not feeling well so he had a chance to

chirp from the back benches for a change!

Lyn Wegner also did a short talk on a

species bromeliad, which the committee

would like to include as a topic in the

meeting from time to time. There is always

something new to learn.

Blooming Bromeliads Here are some of the super bromeliads

brought along to the October meeting by

Dr Pete Pfister, Brenda Wegner, Lyn Wegner

and Dr Boots Horsfall, all showing off colour and form, plenty

to discuss. It was pointed out for our newer members that it

is a common misunderstanding that the entire spike that

emerges from a bromeliad is thought to be the flower. The

'stalk' is referred to as the scape, or central stem, and it is

the flowerless segment of the inflorescence. The attractive

part is called the inflorescence and the actual flowers

which are usually very small ,

sometimes insignificant,

emerge from within the flower

bracts at the top part of the

inflorescence.

Pete showed 3 stunning

broms, Guzmania ‘Triumph’

which he got from Amalinda

Nursery in March 2013. A

lovely, big, red inflorescence. It

took 4 years to flower… worth

waiting for! To show a variation

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 2017

Just part of the front of Val’s lovely

landscaped garden. Val Nel and her daughter Caryn Dunlop

who were our super hosts for the

afternoon!

Pete’s Guzmania Theresa, left and Guzmania‘Triumph’


in size, next up was his Guzmania ‘Theresa’. A small, dainty Guzmania with

an attractive small inflorescence.

Pete also brought this stunning Aechmea left, the photo does not do it

justice. Aechmea fendleri Red form DJC Caripe Venezuela '99. This is a big

plant suitable for landscaping, it needs lots of space. I have 3 pups and 2

are blooming now. I now have 5 new pups! Very different colour leaves to

the green form of Aechmea fendleri.

Comment from Dennis Cathcart: This form of Ae. fendleri, was one that I,

(DJC) collected near Caripe in the state of Monagas, Venezuela some

years ago. This is the area famous for the large caves that are home to the

Guacharos or Oil Birds. Lots of interesting plants there and this reddish leaved

form of Ae. fendleri stood out so I collected a piece of it. Probably in the '90s.

Lyn showed Goudaea (previously

referred to as Vriesea) ospinae var

gruberi ‘Smudge pattern’, above. This is

one of my favourites! The foliage is so

magnificent that I don’t need the

flower, a branched yellow

inflorescence. I have it grouped with all

my Goudaea ospinae varieties in bright

light. It gets no special attention, and is

an easy grower.

Lyn also showed Billbergia ‘Titan’, right. I

bought this plant many years ago from

Bird Rock Tropicals. I Googled it and

found there are 2 forms. Mine is B.

‘Windii’ x brasiliensis, a Baker hybrid. The foliage

colour is not very exciting but the large form and

inflorescence make it an attractive billbergia.

Tillandsia ‘Mora’ above right, a pretty dainty plant, a

form of T. leiboldiana which was developed by Corn

Bak of the Netherlands and registered in 2005. Mine

has been rather neglected so I am pleased it is doing

so well. It likes moisture so although it can be

mounted (grown epiphytically) I prefer mine to be

potted and grown in a shady spot.

Boots brought along 3 of his

blooming Tillandsia. The always

lovely Tillandsia straminea, with

its beautifully scented flowers, a

Brenda brought this lovely

example of Nidularium innocentii

var innocentii showing its white

flowers in the very centre of the

inflorescence.

This stunning, unnamed Guzmania was

shown by Brenda, also acquired from

Amalinda Nursery a while back.

Pete’s Aechmea fendleri Red form DJC

Caripe ex Venezuela.

Boo t ’ s T i l l a nd s i a

straminea showing the

inflorescence and the

tiny scented flowers.


nice example of Tillandsia butzii and Tillandsia

schiedeana, which can grow into a lovely ball. I think

it looks like a ball of firecrackers at blooming time!

What Species is That? - Lyn Wegner I chose to talk about Goudaea ospinae var. ospinae

which I thought was appropriate as we had a

blooming Goudaea ospinae var. gruberi ‘Smudge

Pattern’ at the meeting. (Photo on previous page.)

Goudaea ospinae

var. ospinae was

named by Harry Luther in 1983 in honour of Berta

Ospina, a Columbian collector and horticulturist.

They are found in the rain forest of Columbia, growing in semi-shade in

clumps amongst rocks and boulders. They like shady humid conditions. The

foliage improves with brighter light. They have a yellow flower spike and it is

one of the few stem forming

bromeliads. I find they get rather

untidy as they can grow up to 1

meter, forming ‘branches’ along the

stem and reach about 40cm in

diameter. I remove these ‘branches’

by carefully pulling or cutting them

from the main stem and then I pot

them up. This form is smaller than the

Goudaea ospinae var. gruberi

variety.

The BSI Journal, Volume 66(2), which

Brenda has in our library, has an excellent article on these Goudaea

by Peter Tristram from Australia. I was very lucky to hear this first hand

as a presentation at the Sunnybroms Conference held in Australia in March this year.

Member News

• Welcome to our newest local members, Gordon and Vilma Murray and

country member from Krugersdorp, Danie de Wit. May you all enjoy many

years of fun and rewarding bromeliad times with the society!

• Congratulations to our members, Larraine Parathyras, Dudley Reynolds

and Elna Smit for opening their wonderful gardens for the Pam Golding

Gardens of East London Garden Show this month. Well done to all three

of you!

Thanks • Val Nel and Caryn Dunlop for hosting the October meeting at their home.

• Val Nel, Betty Heunis, Irene Manthe and Maureen and Andre Eybers for

eats for tea time.

• Lyn Wegner and Lynn Odendaal for Lucky Draw plants.

• Dudley Reynolds for beautiful Cattleya blooms off

one of his orchids as Lucky Draw items.

• Pete Pfister for bringing a pile of Tillandsia give-aways

for members to help themselves.

Congratulations to the October

Raffle Winners • Malcolm Stoltz chose Neoregelia 'Candy Apple'.

• Sue Pema chose Neoregelia ‘Lambert’s Pride’.

• Eddie Black chose Neoregelia carcharodon ‘Silver’.

• Pam Stoltz chose Neoregelia carolinae concentrica Eddie Black and Sue Pema Malcolm and Pam Stoltz

Nice to see Odette Degenaar at the

meeting with Irene Manthe.

Tillandsia schiedeana and right,

T. butzii.

Goudaea ospinae var. ospinae

Goudaea ospinae var gruberi.


'Blue Navy Blue'.

• Christo van Wijk chose to have a discount on an order.

• Norman and Hantie Weitz from Pretoria are still to choose their raffle plant.

• Danie Taljaard from Cape Town is still to make his choice.

• Deon Barnes from Randburg chose Aechmea orlandiana var. orlandiana x Canistrum seidelianum kindly

donated by Richard King, one of his own hybrid creations.

From the Committee • After much discussion on the topic of supplying eats for tea time at the meetings, the committee has taken

into consideration all the ideas that came forward from the floor at the last meeting. We have decided

that as from January, tea will be R10.00 per person. Larraine Parathyras will purchase savoury and sweet

items for eats. (By popular demand, what would life be without tea time!!!!!) Xenia Winther will collect the

money for tea at the beginning of the meetings. So when you buy your raffle tickets from Lyn O, pay Xenia

for tea too. Larraine will still send out a tea duty roster and those on duty are expected to assist with setting

up the tea requirements, filling urn etc, cleaning away afterwards so that we leave our hosts home in some

sort of order.

• Don’t forget to prepare a bromeliad for your BBB (Black Bag Brom Surprise) for the end of year function

which is a couple of weeks away! You can jolly it up a bit if you like!

Upcoming Society Events 26th November: SAVE THE DATE!!! You are invited to our annual social day and the last time we meet for the

year. This function is for members and their partners and children.

Hosted by Brenda and Bryan Wegner at 19 Putney Ave Nahoon Valley

• 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, pudding bowls, cutlery, glasses and your drinks. The

fires, paper plates (if you require them), salads, rolls and fun will be provided.

• There will be the traditional 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 garden.

• 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 purchase of a projector to use at the meetings. This is always loads of fun!

January 2018: Our first meeting for the new year will be hosted by Elna Smit at 15 Hart Street, in Gonubie at

2 pm. Don’t forget to bring your chair if you want a seat. This will be one of the open gardens on the Pam

Golding Gardens of East London Show.

February: Esther Botha, Elna’s twin sister who lives on a farm, Adelsicht Farm 1337 Schafli road Chintsa.

March: Elna Smit’s farm garden, Kransig Farm Upper Kwelega.

April: A visit and presentation by David Fell from Hawaii! Still to be confirmed.

BSI Matters - Lyn Wegner The BSI (Bromeliad Society International) Board meets annually and the 2017 Board meeting was held

on Saturday 21st October at the Southwest Bromeliad Guild Annual Show and Sale and the

Cryptanthus Society Biennial Show which was held in Dallas, Texas. The BSI Journal will have an article

and photos on this event in an upcoming issue.

I unfortunately was unable to travel to the US for the meeting so Rick Ryals, the Vice President, chaired the

meeting in my absence. Six Board members, all unable to be present in Dallas, participated in the meeting

via Skype. These members were from Australia, New Zealand, The Netherlands, US and of course South Africa!

It was a constructive meeting with my Skype session starting just before 4 on Saturday afternoon and ending a

little after midnight! Skype is truly amazing!

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

the Conference Corner at bsi.org for more information. This will be the third WBC that will be held in San

Diego, California. Registration for the 2018 conference has already begun. If you are interested in going,

contact Lyn Wegner for more information.


2019: ‘Golden Broms’ 17-20 October 2019 Hosted by the Gold Coast Succulent and Bromeliad Society Inc.

at the Sea World Resort on the Gold Coast. This will be the 20th Australasian Bromeliad Conference. For

contact information go to the conference website at www.goldenbroms.com

2021: The New Zealand Bromeliad Society has recently confirmed that they will be hosting the bi-annual

Australasian Bromeliad Conference again in 2021.

From the Members

Left: Japie Esterhuysen from Cape Town: I want to share this

impressive Billbergia with its flower with you! First of the helicoid

Billbergia that I asked Lyn to import for me. Billbergia stenopetela. B:

Stunning Japie!!! Thanks for sharing.

Right: Local member Michael Mclaren with his

stunning Neoregelia ‘Bobby Hull’ x ‘Silver’

which he has been nurturing for about 2

years. It gets morning sun and afternoon

shade.

Left: on our last visit to Lyn Wegner’s stunning

garden and collection of plants we were blown

away by this stunning xVriecantarea ‘Seeger’ in all

its glory in the garden. Of course Eddie had to have

one! Lyn says this just has to be an ‘oh my gosh’

plant! Super spectacular! I have been watching the flower spike

developing with great interest. It’s so exciting when you don’t know what

to expect. I purposely don’t look for a picture before my plants bloom as I

enjoy the whole process, from the very early stages. It’s amazing how long

it takes before actual flowering takes place. The colour contrast of the red

scape (stalk) and the bright yellow branched ‘paddles’ (bracts?) are

stunning. It has reached 1 meter in height to date. It is growing in a pot,

receives some afternoon sun and is doing very well. The foliage is an

attractive reddish colour. For more info go into bsi.org and then click on

the BCR, Bromeliad Cultivar Register. Scroll down the genera on the left

hand side of your screen until you come across xVriecantarea.

Barbs: I am appealing to all those members who received seed that was very kindly sent to us by Rob Murray

in Australia in October 2016. As promised, you need to provide some feedback. A year later, how did your

seed germinate and get growing, did you experience any problems? We know that the Alcantarea ‘Devine

Plum’ did not germinate. Please let me know how it went and send photos so we can give Rob some

feedback. I hope it was a learning experience for all of you. Many thanks.

From the Editor What a lovely ‘almost’ end to the year,

everything is finally starting to green up for

summer. We have lots of Aechmea and

especially A. blanchetiana blooming in our

garden now. They make stunning landscape

plants if you have the space. Neoregelia are

colouring up nicely too. The few scorching days

have been a bit scary and the lack of rain is

becoming a really big concern. Folks are

reluctant to water as there are restrictions and

punitive tariffs if you go over a certain amount.

This is one time I really regret having such a

huge garden, the responsibility to keep all the

babies hydrated and happy is quite a chore at

the best of times and then there are all the

other shrubs, groundcovers and plants too and

we must mention all the hanging baskets as

A welcome recent visitor, Dawid

Botha from Port Elizabeth who

arrived with his wife and parents-in-

law to see our garden.

Getting ready for summer, some of

our Aechmea blanchet iana

blooming for the first time, taken a

few years. Nice big, colourful, spiky

bromeliads if you have the space.


well. We may ask ourselves, when is enough…. enough? Well if you have the collectors gene, you are done

for, there is never enough. But I do know now, that the longer you have collected bromeliads the more

selective you become, you have plants that you really enjoy growing and some just blow you away with their

stunning appearance and in some cases, quirky growth habits and you just have to have them! So ours are

mostly all happy and ‘blooming wonderful’ and rewarding right now! I am sure yours are too!

Thank you to the committee and ALL of the members who support the society in so many different ways

throughout the year, without you it would not be the happy gathering that it is. It is so good to share and learn

together and as always, any suggestions about topics for meetings or any ideas that you have for the new

year to come, do tell one of the committee members. Maybe you would like to share your bromeliad journey

with the members too?? We do want to provide relevant and interesting topics for discussion at meetings.

It has not been an easy year for many of us, I find reflecting on how far you have come really helpful, count your

blessings in life and be proactive about what you need to do for yourself to be happy and fulfilled in whatever it is

you are seeking. We are all so unique; it will mean something different to each and every one of you.

As this is the last newsletter for 2017 I wish you all a very early Happy Christmas Season, doing

what brings you peace, joy and restoration with family and friends who mean the world to

you. Be safe and take good care of yourselves and each other.

May 2018 be a good year and I hope your endeavours bear fruit and your plans for the future

run smoothly. We hope to see you all at the end of year Bring and Braai for some fun and

relaxation!

Brommy blessings to you all, far and wide!

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 author where applicable and East

London Bromeliad Society South Africa. Please use the photos that accompany the article used. If you

require higher resolution photos please request them from the Editor.

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

When submitting items for inclusion in this newsletter, please ensure that all information, including spelling is

checked and accurate.

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.

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]

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]

Additional member: Betty Heunis 073 226 1610 [email protected]


Peter Cook from Sunnybroms (Australia) has very kindly created a link to ELBS newsletters on their web page.

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

You can access:

• All the back copies of the 2016 and 2017 ELBS Newsletters

• The first of the BSI BCR genus changes and cultivar changes generated via DNA studies complied by Derek

Butcher the BSI Cultivar Registrar.

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

Florida Council of Bromeliad Societies: fcbs.org 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 Just type in

‘Encyclopeadia of Bromeliads’ into the Facebook search bar.

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 or just type in ‘New Bromeliad Taxon List’, it's much easier!

Photo Credits: Barbara Black, Lyn Wegner, Japie Esterhuysen, Zena McLaren

east londoneast london - wordpress.com · east london bromeliad society south africa november 2017...

Documents