The Bromeliad Society of Australia’s next meeting will be held on Saturday, 13th August in the Federation Pavilion, Castle Hill Showground off Showground Road, Castle Hill. Sales to members, guest and the general public from 10am with the meeting commencing at 12noon.
At this meeting there will be a special discussion on identifying bromeliad pups, how to remove them from the mother plant and propagate the plant on.
As sad as it may seem, most bromeliads are one time bloomers. Your beautiful flower spike (inflorescence) will someday cease to be ornamental. Its bright color will dull and eventually brown. But before you toss your bromeliad in the trash, refusing to grow more attached to a plant that is destined to die off regardless of the amount of care you provide it, there are some things you should know.
When a bromeliad plant reaches maturity it will stop producing leaves and the flower will bloom into a beautiful, unique formation. At this point, the healthy bromeliad will produce offshoot plants from the base called pups.
Pups are usually exact clones of the mother plant and are her way of continuing her legacy. So while the mother plant is preparing for the inevitable, it is leaving you with even more plants to care for in the future. Proper harvesting of the pups can lead to numerous beautiful bromeliads and the potential for an ongoing generation of bromeliads for your enjoyment.
Come along and find out when and how to remove your next generation of plants and how to grow them on successfully. Photos show small pups growing on side of mother plant and the mature pups now separated and ready for propagation.
BSA Meetings include plant sales, club news, raffles and competitions as well as providing an opportunity to meet with like-minded people in a friendly and inviting environment.
Contact Ian Hook – mobile 0408 202 269, email: [email protected] website: www.bromeliad.org.au
