Let's start a June thread. No pictures yet but I wanted to share something I noticed recently. I was planting and mounting some neoregelia pups that had been potted in plastic pots. As I removed them, gently so I did not damage any roots, I saw where all the roots were congregated on one side of the pot and loosely attached to the plastic in only this one area. I saw this in at least 6 pots. I tried to use the root side to my advantage in mounting some, by placing the roots against the mount. The pots had been blowing over and were moved often so it is not that the sun was hitting that side. Has anyone else noticed this or does anyone have any thoughts on why? I just thought it was interesting.

The roots on most broms are really just for attachment, not so much for nutrient and water uptake. So I'm guessing when the plant 'finds' something solid to attach to, it continues to send roots out in that direction. Just idle speculation, here.

I'm experimenting with some of my spotty Billbergias. I mounted two of them into the boots of a Sabal palm outside our back gate a week before I left town. My husband has been forgetting to spray them with the hose as I asked him (yes, in writing!) to do. So, I think they both decided they were going to die, and went ahead and bloomed! B. Celebration (because it usually blooms on our about July 4th). It's definitely red, white and blue in bloom.


Another with a nice bloom about to start opening. B. Hallelujah. The only way I can tell these two apart is because Celebration has red calyxes and Hallelujah has pink.

Very nice! Gosh I miss my Palmettos with such handy little boots to stuff plants in.

My two Aechmea 'Felice' back in May...

Simultaneously came into flower mode today.








The third sister set the flowering out.

My visitor took a video of my June garden. Can anyone tell me how to post it?

Scott, that is a beautiful bloom, I am glad you had posted it back in May, I went to check on mine, I had it mounted in my palm but it had been knocked out, I'm sure by a squirrel since they've been in mating chases here lately. I planted it into a pot, been a couple weeks now and it already looks better.

Alice, I've had to cut plants out of pots because the roots attach to the pot, especially clay pots. Once at a Bromeliad Society meeting a guest speaker said that you should always prune old roots when re-potting plants, although I've never really done that. Apparently the old roots die if they are disturbed and trimming promotes new roots to grow. I notice many offsets sold at sales or in the mail that I've bought, already have trimmed the old roots off. All that said, I would mount it just as you said with roots towards the mount, but it probably really doesn't matter, just attach the plant well.


Billbergia Beadleman bloom stages.

gardenersdetective said:My visitor took a video of my June garden. Can anyone tell me how to post it?

I think you have to use You tube and put a link to it. You can't load a video right to a post.

Thanks Sherri, that makes sense.

The squirrels have been raising a ruckus here also. I have already had to fix several broms in trees that were knocked out or at least out of place.

A friend from the SC midlands just sent me these photos and asked for any info I could share. Looks to me like they are all Aechmeas although I cannot see the little one. The orangy one is likely a Blanchetianas right? Any other ID's? Thanks

Photos?

Ghost Aechmea....

Alice Heimers.......

I agree on the blanchetiana, the albo marginated has me stumped. I went out looking at some of my Aechmeas and and three have the middle green and white margin, Aechmea nudicaulis var. flavomarginata (looks the most like that one), A. Mend (gets a pink hue in bright light, but the leaves seem shiner than your friends), A. Felice (although that has wider leaves and no spines, clearly your friend's has spines). The bromeliad with the stripes look like it may have faded spots inside the leaves, then I would say some kind of Billbergia, the only Aechmea it looks similar too is, Aechmea fasciata Purpurea (mine has purple outside stripes, just like that one, and green inside, gets all purple in winter months fuller sun).

That's my best guess, Scott is good at IDing, maybe he'll know.

One way or the other, your friend got some very nice healthy bromeliads, with good offsets. Once they flower, easier to ID.

I was thinking the albo marginated one looks a lot like my Billbergia variegata 'Kyoto'. Could it be a Bill not an Aechmea?

I have some that are blushing purple right now, but I don't know their names. I think they may be Neo's.

I am thinking the golden marginated and striated leaf Bromeliad is Billbergia Foster's Striate.
Foster's Striate produces pups before the mother plant matures to the flowering stage.
The flowering will be key to the true identity.

Neoregelia Wolfgang, not blooming but still so colorful, several plants in a cluster, gets real pink in center when blooming. Filtered shade, morning sun.

Nice!

Here is a unknown Neoregelia that I find interesting in looks.

My first thought was what sophisticated coloring. I am not fond of brownish plants but that one is intriguing.

Nice, some of my favorites in my garden are NOID.