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A catalogue of Bromeliads used for various projects by - © Lloyd Godman 

This is a catalogue of bromeliads used by Lloyd godman for his various installations and photosynthesis projects - the collection of pants he accessed in New Zealand from 1996 - 2004 was collected from a wide range of sources, while most were brought from Greens Bromeliads, some were also donated by the Dunedin Botanical Gardens. Later in 2004 these plants were either sold or given away with his move to Australia.

Lloyd is at present re-establishing his collection where he now lives in Melbourne.

A Lexicon of Bromeliads: A resource by Lloyd Godman

Tillandsias are regarded as true air plants and as such are among the most unusual of the Bromeliad family. They range from bulbous forms and grass like structures to silver tufted masses. Typically they grow where there is free air movement like high treetop environments or across open rock faces, and often they are heavily covered in silver trichomes that help reflect the high levels of sun light they receive in these locations. While some tolerate temperatures as low as 5 degrees C (40 degrees F), or even lower, most prefer temperatures of around 10-32 degrees C (50-32 degrees F). While they require high levels of humidity, they need to dry out quickly and completely between misting or watering. As the trichome scales open to absorb moisture and close to retain it, it is important that the plants are given time to dry out and most plant deaths occur because of over watering.

 

Tillandsia albida large (AHL-bee-dah)

Tillandsia albida large

Tillandsia albida large

Family: Bromeliad

Sub-Family: Tillandsioideae:

Genus: Tillandsia

Sub-Genus: Tillandsia

Native distribution: The species is endemic to areas of Mexico where it grows on cacti or rocks at altitudes up to 2000m - 6,500ft. It has been reported that the species range may be restricted to but a few canyons making them extremely vulnerable to extinction in the wild.

Habit: Tillandsia albida is a caulescent (stem-growing) species that can form a large clump in just several years. The long stem of these plants assists them to anchor in unstable environments where there is sand dunes and loose gravel which is common in high altitude canyons.

Foliage: The flared or slightly recurved bladed leaves can be up to 120cm long while the cross-section of the leaf forms a pronounced concave shape which is accentuated at the base. The leaves have a strong trichome coating which gives it a white sliver appearence.While it might be confused with Tillandsia incarnata, a species that it closely resembles in the non-blooming state, the white trichome covered leaves are stiff in comparison. The leaves appear to spiral around the stem which can often be quite long (30-40cm).

Flowers: The rhachis and floral bracts are a most colourful crimson. The flowers are cylindrical corollas with exserted stamens and stigma of ubgenus Tillandsia but they are a cream colour which is rare. The scape bracts are bright red.

Seed:

Pups: Pups ftrom on the stem and can often appear from old parts of the stem that appear dead, so do not cut these off.

Cultivation: While it prefers a warm situation with bright light, it can tolerate cool conditions down to near freezing for short periods. Like all white Tillandsias the species requires bright sunlight. Under cultivation it often remains rootless.

Fertilization: A mist every week with Epiphyites Delight or Epsom salts during the growing season will help the plant.

( Epiphyte’s Delight fertilizer was developed for a special reason. Nitrogen promotes foliar growth. If you have Tillandsias, Orchids, or other epiphytes and you feed them, take a look at the nitrogen content. If it’s high in urea, the plants can’t use it because the urea needs a bacteria in soil to break it down into ammonia and nitrates. Since the epiphytes don’t have any soil they can’t break down the urea. It was for this reason that we had Epiphyte’s Delight formulated. It contains only ammoniacal and nitrate nitrogen which is immediately accessible and usable by the plants.)

Availability: The plant is not always available.

 

More information HERE