I'm so happy that Kyle is no longer on my list of plant friends that I'd love to actually meet in person. Two people who are still on this list are Carlos in Brazil (flickr) and Erik in Australia (flickr). Both of them joined the tropical plant lovers Facebook group that Kyle recently created! Yay!!! Now I'm two people closer to realizing my dream of all my plant friends being friends with each other. I have this very bright idea that, the better connected my plant friends are to each other, the more awesome the outcome. We can create a huge and incredibly dense network that will quickly capture all the best plants and plant ideas.
With this in mind, my favorite thing about the show was that several of my plant friends got to meet each other for the first time! For example, Monica and Sarah met, Dave and Ulysses met, Rich and Steve met and so on. Each meeting really deserves its own blog entry!
I enjoyed the show itself and took several pics of the show plants. Unfortunately, I'm not happy with how many of the pics turned out (insert typical excuses here... ie poor lighting), but I figure that even a poor pic of a great plant is better than nothing. Some of my motivation in sharing the pics is that I've got a plant friend, not going to mention any names, *cough* Allison *cough*, who doesn't think that bromeliads are so wonderful. Yikes! Unfortunately, she wasn't able to make it to the show, so figured it might be worthwhile to bring the show to her, and to you too!
Cyrtanthus elatus x montanus
This wasn't in the show, it was in the sales area for $20. Since Scadoxus loves bulbs, but wasn't at the show yet, I texted her a pic and asked if she wanted it. She replied asking if it had a pretty flower. Heh. Steve ended up buying it and then later on when I searched my gmail for "Cyrtanthus" I learned that, not too long ago, Shawn had given me a small bulb of this species and I had given it to Scadoxus. Sheesh. There's actually a Cyrtanthus epiphyticus! Yes, I already tried it epiphytically and sadly it didn't survive. It was a long time ago though, so maybe it was before I started using the quality New Zealand Sphagnum moss for certain plants. I haven't tried many bulbs epiphytically but so far the biggest winner by far is the pregnant onion (Albuca bracteata).
Hydnophytum formicarum
This is a really cool epiphyte that has a big caudex that, in nature, provides a home for ants. In this case we get a peak inside the caudex. Exhibited by Laurel Woodley who I was lucky enough to chat with. In 2013 I took a pic of the same plant at the same show. She brings it inside during the winter. I've been growing a related species, Myrmecodia beccarii, outside year around since 2012. It is still small though because I have it on a small mount without much moss and it probably doesn't get as much water as it would like during the summer. Maybe I should auction it off at the upcoming VGT plant share?
Dave has been growing Myrmecodia platytyrea entirely outside (with protection from the rain) for a few years in Eagle Rock...
Maybe it's the biggest epiphytic ant plant in the Rubiaceae family that is growing outside year around in California? Do you know of a bigger one? If you're interested in learning more about this species I highly recommend checking out the ant-plant forum.
Back to the show...
Sedum torulosum
Also exhibited by Laurel Woodley. For a while I've really appreciated the "treelike" Sedums and Crassulas. For example, check out Sedum dendroideum ‘Colossus’. Do you see the picture of Myron Kimnach standing next to it?? Woah!! Mine is around 3', I should really bring some cuttings to the plant share.
Sinningia polyantha
Similar to the Sinningia piresiana growing on my tree, but much taller. Yes, I sincerely do wish that I had learned about Gesneriads a whole lot earlier!
Aeonium Bing Thing
Aeonium Bing Thing = (tabuliforme × arboreum Zwartkop) × sedifolium. This is a crazy cool cross made by John Trager. A. sedifolium is super tiny! I'm very glad that Nels Christianson decided to enter this plant into the show! Remind me to ask him if he'd be willing to trade a cutting of it for something. I'd also be happy to have some seeds of it, because I'd be very curious to see how much variation there would be among the seedlings.
Peperomia Amigo Marcello
Woah! Is this the right name?? I've been calling this Peperomia Elmer Lorenz for years, because that's who gave it to me, but he didn't know the name. This Peperomia does great epiphytically.
Euphorbia sp
Unreal!! Wish that the pic was clearer! Anybody know which species it is?
Rebutia flavistyla
Exhibited by Christine Kaunitz. I'd love to see this species growing and blooming on a tree!
Pelargonium punctatum
This one stunned Fernando. Heh. Stunned me too! This would look amazing on a tree! He is actually growing Pelargonium tetragonum epiphytically.
Vriesea Strawberry
Dang, I'm so disappointed that my picture failed to capture the luminescent glow of this bromeliad! :(
Vriesea Strawberry
Closer pic.
Billbergia Casa Blanca
Fun foliage!
Billbergia Mystic Torch
Billbergia Mystic Torch = (Pink Champagne x Arriba) x Domingos Martins. More funner foliage?
Epiphytically Enhanced Branch
Tillandsia albertiana, Maxillaria tenuifolia (?), Crassula (which one?), Ledebouria socialis, Hoya serpens, Rhipsalis... wow!! Exhibited by James W Schumacher. I'd sure like to make friends with this guy!!
Tillandsia duratii
This is the bigger variety. The sequentially opening flowers are relatively large and very fragrant. I think they smell kinda like grape kool-aid. Everybody should grow this species. Exhibited by ESSC member Rich Fleg!
Tillandsia novakii
So so so so impressive!!!! Several years ago I first saw this species at the Conservatory of Flowers and instantly loved it. Fortunately, this one was exhibited by ESSC member Sarah de Heras, so hopefully there will be seeds available to spread around!
Tillandsia novakii
I volunteered Ulysses to provide some scale. Thanks bro, sorry about the bad pic! :(
Tillandsia sp
Also exhibited by Sarah de Heras. Love it! Hopefully she will place it next to the Tillandsia novakii so that the hummingbirds can cross-pollinate them.
Tillandsia prodigiosa
Also exhibited by Sarah de Heras! Not the best pic, and the spike isn't fully developed, but everybody should know about this Tillandsia. Check out the Google Image search results for this species. One sad thing about this species is that it is monocarpic! Ugh. Hopefully it will produce lots of seeds though.
Scadoxus' haul box, it was the prettiest one that I ever did see! I'll share the list later on.
If you live in the Los Angeles area and love plants then be sure to join Village Green Thumbs! And if you live outside of the LA area and love tropical plants, then be sure to join Tropical Plant Lovers!
