Bromeliad Books

This is the first book that I wrote on Bromeliads. It was published by Random House and Timber Press in 2003 and is still the best book around for beginners and enthusiasts that want to know a little more about their plants and how to grow them. Check out the positive reviews on Amazon to see how other people have liked it!

This is the second book, which was also published by Random House in 2007, but unfortunately not Timber Press this time, which means it can be a little hard to find in the USA. The photography is what makes this a standout, and even having written it and proofed it so many times my pulse still races when I see some of the photos again. Sad but true, the admissions of a true addict!

Vriesea 'Exotica Jungle Tips'

Exotica Jungle Tips is a large beasty that has Vriesea bituminosa as a mother. Father unknown! While it doesn't grow as large as the mother, it will still reach a height and spread of 70cm+.

Like Mum, it has lovely black tips to the leaves. It differs in the colour of the leaves, which are a nice mossy green, with darker squiggles across them, making this a more interesting specimen than the species.

Nidularium 'Exotica Shell Pink'

This is a lovely form of Nidularium rutilans that I selected from a large group of this species I grew from seed. As with most of this species, they grow to 30cm high by 40cm wide. The distinctive feature is the shell pink star shaped flower spike. Like many Nidulariums, this can stay in colour for up to 12 months. Great pot plant, also as an epiphyte or under dense foliage in the garden. Prefers deep shade. Can take light frosts.

Aechmea 'Exotica Candystripe'

This nicely variegated Aechmea arose in my nursery as a chance sport, from Aechmea apocalyptica x gamosepala. The variegation is pretty stable, unlike similar cultivars such as Aechmea 'Lucky Stripes'.

In late autumn or early winter a flower spike in candy pink and blue tops the white variegated plants. Does best in full shade, or with some morning or late afternoon sun. Can take light frosts if planted under trees.

Vriesea 'Exotica Zulu'

A Vriesea incurvata hybrid, with a deep blood red, almost purple coloured spear. The flower spike looks especially dramatic over the bright green foliage. Best in full shade and quite happy in frost free gardens.

Neoregelia 'Exotica Red Queen'

This stunning hybrid came from a cross I made between Neo. 'Sheer Delight' and a dark red form of Neo. aff princeps that I obtained from Brazil. It forms rosettes of rich tamarillo red leaves lightly speckled and occasionally splashed with lime green, up to 20cm high by 50cm wide. At flowering, the centre lightens to crimson which makes a really nice contrast. Great as an accent plant in open landscapes. Prefers bright light or full sun (with a little midday shade in mid summer) to bring out red leaf colour. Can take slight frosts.

Vriesea 'Exotica Whirlpool'

Since I first saw a "washed out" Vriesea hieroglyphica in 2001, in Peter Brady's garden in Auckland (see the cover photo of "Bromeliads For The Contemporary Garden" I've wanted to develop one of these. In 2003, we grew several thousand Vri. hieroglyphica from seed, and several came up with varying degrees of "washout".

As far as I know, these don't come true from the next generation of seed, although I've never given it a good crack. They do come true from pup though and this is one of those plants. They'll probably remain fairly rare as pupping is pretty slow.

Nidularium 'Exotica Ruby Red'

This is one of the strongest growing and heavily coloured Nidulariums that I have come across. This photo doesn't do it justice. When grown well, the colour is a very deep burgundy, like a good wine. The rosettes can grow to 70cm high and 70cm wide, with tough and quite spiky leaves. The star shaped flower spike is one of the largest of the Nidulariums, and is coloured a slightly lighter red than the leaves.

The best colour develops in strong but filtered light, although the cultivar can also grow in full shade or full sun once acclimatised.

This cultivar comes from Nidularium procerum, a line of seed I obtained as Nidularium "Rubra" from Brazil. Approximately 5% of the line came up with these broad, highly coloured leaves, from which I selected this one.

Neoregelia 'Exotica Sassy Red'

Neo. 'Exotica Sassy Red' came from a line of neo. carolinae seed that I imported from Brazil. The beauty of this selection is its' versatility. This photo was of a group grown in quite heavy shade, yet the pups are still coming up with good colour right from day one. I have also grown these in full sun, where the rich red colouring becomes even stronger.

At flowering, the centre turns rich crimson, which lasts for months. Grows to 20cm high x 45cm wide. Can take slight frosts

Neoregelia 'Exotica Purple Wave'

Neoregelia 'Exotica Purple Wave' is a strange looking Neoregelia, more like an oversized Cryptanthus in appearance. It arose as an mutation from tissue cultured plants of Neoregelia 'Purple Star'. Initially, we tossed these out, as they were not true to type! My partners' Mother Glenda, who is a very keen gardener and hates seeing plants get composted, rescued them and planted them out. Once planted out in the garden, it became obvious that this was an unusual and attractive plant in it's own right.

This cultivar forms a slow growing rosette up to 20cm wide, that gradually forms a woody stem up to 50cm high, topped with spiralled, wavy purple leaves. I have not yet seen one flower naturally. It is very slow to set a root system, but doesn't seem to suffer unduly without one, although it is a relatively slow grower.

Prefers bright light with some morning sun. Too much shade will make the leaves turn a olive green colour, while too much sun will burn the leaves. Can take slight frosts.

Neoregelia 'Exotica Hula Girl'

Neoregelia 'Exotica Hula Girl' is another selection from a batch of seed I grew on from Gerry Stansfield. This is an excellent cultivar from the cross of Neo. carolinae x 'Big Red'. It has distinctive tangerine colouring to the leaves which turn a beautiful shade of crimson over much of the center leaves at flowering. Grows to 60cm diam. and 30cm high.