Just the Facts: BROMELIADS

What is a BROMELIAD? 

"The Bromeliflorae, as here treated, are a group of monocots comprising two families: the Bromeliaceae with 45 genera and about 2000 species, and the Rapateaceae with 16 genera and 80-100 species. Both the Rapateaceae and Bromeliaceae are perennial herbs native entirely to the New World, but each with a single species in West Africa (Maschalocephalus sp. and Pitcairnia feliciana, respectively). This distribution suggests that the two families appeared at about the time when Africa and South America were drifting apart."

More....

http://donitaworld.com/Tropicals/Bromeliads/links.html

Tell me more! 

"The bromeliad family (Bromeliaceae) consists of 51 genera and about 1,500 strictly American species. They grow from the dry deserts of southwestern United States to equatorial tropical rain forests. Based on growth habits and other characteristics, Bromeliaceae is divided into the subfamilies Pitcairnioideae, Tillandsioideae and Bromelioideae."

More. . . .

http://www.bromeliads.info/

How do I raise them? 

"Bromeliads are one of the best kept secrets in the plant world. They are diverse, fascinating, and relatively easy to grow. They have been hybridized extensively and many new striking plants have resulted with both bloom and foliage that offer more color than any other plant I am aware of. Because bromeliads are "different" looking than traditional plants and most people consider them exotic, therefore perceived as hard to grow, bromeliads have not caught on among plant enthusiasts nearly as much as they deserve to. Newly discovered or hybridized plants often sell to collectors for big bucks, but in a matter of years become affordable to most people as they are reproduced asexually by dividing 'pups' from the developed plants."

More . . . .

http://www.houstongardening.info/bromel.htm

Michaels Bromeliads 

http://www.michaelsbromeliads.com/

"Michael's Bromeliads was established in 1988 as a mail order nursery and remains a family operation dedicated to providing quality bromeliads to collectors and enthusiasts world wide. Our collection has grown to include nearly 1900 varieties of bromeliads from over 40 genera. Our online store will feature many popular and easy to grow varieties and will be updated continually. If you like, you may also view a listing of our entire collection at the 'Our Collection' page. You can inquire about specific plants by using the 'Contact Us' page. We hope you enjoy our site and come back often."

More . . . .

[I am well acquainted with Michaels Bromeliads Nursery. Their greenhouses contain hundreds of popular species and cultivars. Heathy beautiful plants are Michael's specialty. He is constantly cultivating new varieties and is willing to share them with bromeliad enthusiasts everywhere. Give Michaels Bromeliads a try; you will be satisfied.]

Tropiflora 

http://www.tropiflora.com

"Once upon a time some forty years ago I was an amateur herpetologist (reptile fancier) who, by accident of fate, met my first bromeliad on a collecting trip to Mexico. I never suspected at the time that this chance encounter would someday change my life. On subsequent trips south, bromeliads became more and more objects of interest, and after an extended trip to Costa Rica in 1968, a place where bromeliads of brilliant hues beckoned like jewels in the verdant jungles, bromeliads started to become a fascination on par with the reptiles. A small collection soon followed and nurtured by Florida sun and rain, slowly grew into an OBSESSION. Face it, some of you out there reading this can relate. There are never enough new varieties and the plant you like the most is the one you don't have yet. Taking complete control of all free time, the growing collection required the conversion of a porch to a fiberglass-roofed plant room and then the construction of a small greenhouse before eventually becoming the dominant plant in the landscape."

More . . . .

[Tropiflora is a large Florida bromeliad and orchid nursery. Dennis Cathcart, the owner, has led the way in making bromeliads the popular ornamental plant it is today. He has traveled the western hemisphere looking for new species to introduce to BROMELIAD enthusiasts. They are starting an emphasis on online business. Give them a try; you'll be pleased with the wonderful service.]

Bromeliad Society International 

This site is the starting point for all BROMELIAD enthusiasts. It is a group of BROMELIAD lovers who have fallen under the spell of culturing BROMELIADS. There are societies in dozens of countries and BSI is in the forefront to making the BROMELIAD family of plants a major player in gardens over the world. The following is the mission statement of the society: "The purposes of this society are to promote and maintain public and scientific interest in the research, development, preservation, and distribution of bromeliads, both natural and hybrid, throughout the world, and to promote fellowship."

More . . . .

BROMELIAD PHOTO GALERIES 

http://siegrid.stern.home.att.net/BROMELIADS.htm

"Bromeliads are the floral aristocrats of the rain forest. They display an incredible range of form and size and, when they bloom, an impressive palette of extraordinary colors. These plants are native to the tropical and subtropical areas of the Americas, the majority indigenous to South America. Most of them grow as air plants on the trunks and branches of trees. Some species wrap their roots around porous rocks, while others, such as the pineapple and 'earth stars,' grow in the soil."

http://www.fcbs.org/pictures.htm

Welcome to the Florida Council of Bromeliad Societies Bromeliad Photo Index

http://www.airplant.com/a.html

"A Tillandsia is a Bromeliad...but not all Bromeliads are Tillandsias. Bromeliad is the Family name. Tillandsia is the genus. Airplants are the common name for Tillandsias (sometimes called 'Air Plants'). Not all Bromeliads are Airplants. Airplants grow without soil while most types of Bromeliads do best in soil."

http://www.webshots.com/search?new=1&source=mdocsheader&words=bromeliad

"Webshots provides consumers with a variety of ways to enjoy photos: on their computer desktops as wallpaper and screensavers, on their wireless phones, and in their own homes and offices as prints."

http://www.sofia.usgs.gov/virtual_tour/pgloxahatchee.html

"Grab your camera as we take a tour around beautiful south Florida. We'll head to places like Everglades National Park, Big Cypress National Park, and the Florida Keys. We'll also visit places you might have never heard of, like Corkscrew Swamp, Fern Forest, and 'Alligator Alley' - just to name a few. You'll see mangroves, alligators, deer, birds of all kinds, and a few other surprises!"