San Diego Bromeliad Society
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    • 2019 Exhibition & Sale
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    • Alcantarea - Brazilian giants
    • Spotlight on Vriesea
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  • past: January '21

Welcome to the
​San Diego
Bromeliad Society !

Just around the corner - June 14/15...

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Plan ahead for WBC 2026!

The World Bromeliad Conference will be hosted by the Saddleback Valley Bromeliad Society, our neighboring BSI affiliate.  Summer 2026, Costa Mesa.
More details to follow.

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In May, we enjoyed a garden party. Thanks Ronee!!!
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In April, veteran bromeliad grower Robert Kopfstein invited us to his home.
Wow was that fun?


March 8th Meeting

Juliana Raposo presented …  We dove into the captivating world of bromeliads through the eyes of three remarkable artists: Maria Sibylla Merian, Margaret Mee, and Marianne North. JR's presentation, "Telling the Story of Bromeliads through Art," showcased their stunning illustrations and the fascinating stories behind them. From the intricate life cycle of the butterfly Philaethria dido around the pineapple plant to the vibrant depictions of various bromeliads, the visual journey was a celebration of nature's beauty and the artistry that brings it to life.
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Neo. Quantum Leap from the auction

​February 2025

Plant opportunity table - Michaels Bromeliads by Dave in Florida.

February Speaker, Sejong Zhang, was well received.

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Sejong’s work delves into the phylogenomics and phytochemistry of Tillandsia, 

January 2025:  Brazil
Rodrigo Freitas

We first heard from Rodrigo in 2023. At the time, he came to our attention for the captivating photos he was taking while on the job as a park ranger in Tres Picos State Park in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Since then, Rodrigo was the recipient of the SDBS grant, which he used to update his photographic equipment.

​In this presentation, Rodrigo showed us a fresh crop of material captured with the new lens -- with  bromeliads in up and close detail, and special appearances by the local flora and fauna. He described recent devastating fires that swept the park in July 2024.
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Pitcairnia flammea

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Our big plant sale of the year was a success.
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Thanks to organizers and participants.

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Thanks everyone for another enjoyable
Holiday Party.


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November Meeting Recap:
From Juliana, who has coordinated our November speaker:
​“This November I invited Nathan David from Brazil to speak about a theme that he is uniquely suited to address - the challenge of owning, maintaining and organizing a priceless collection of bromeliads. While in his 30s, he amassed a collection of Brazilian species that rivals the best out there.

​Nathan is a collector, explorer, conservationist. And best of all, he's a great storyteller. He has given talks to the California Horticultural Society and the San Francisco Bromeliad Society
.”



At the November meeting, we had Vriesea specimens from and an auction of Vriesea Hilo Hula.
 Above: a sampling of Vriesea foliage bromeliads from Fantastic Gardens Hawaii, grown in San Diego

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Thank you for participating in our October 2024 Meeting.
a Spotlight on Species.

Link to past October meeting page

The September 2024 Meeting was a fine presentation by Dylan Zoller!
​Covering some seldom photographed cacti and succulent bromeliad species, as well as some other oddities, from eastern Brazil.
​Jewels of the Brazilian Highlands
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Past meeting info link - September 2024
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Aug. 2024 Picnic was a blast !
Thanks to Nathalie who organized it, to all the volunteers, and to our host, Pam.


July 2024
​We enjoyed Andy’s
Outside the Box Tillandsia presentation.

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Possibly the cutest bromeliad mascot you’ll ever see!

May ‘24
Garden Meeting in Encinitas
​We met at Tyrone Hall’s home in Encinitas and participated in the repotting and mounting clinic. We had a group of experts guiding how to best divide, repot or mount gnarly bromeliads! Hopefully we can repeat this kind of meeting in the future. Thanks To Tyrone and everyone who made it happen.

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APRIL ‘24
“Bromeliads in Australia:
​The 2008 BSI World Conference"

Cristy Brenner shared her experiences at the 2008 BSI World conference in Australia. She has attended all of the BSI World Conferences since 2000, and states that this conference was definitely one of the best.  The conference was held in Cairns, in the tropical area of Northeastern Australia, and many members from San Diego and other Southern California societies attended.   The Aussie’s are exceptional growers and hybridizers and created beautiful displays.   We also toured many amazing gardens and enjoyed the Aussie’s great hospitality.  
See the April meeting page for more on our speaker and the opportunity table plant list!

Glad to see so many folks on February 2024.
Andy Siekkinen did a talk on bromeliads in the state of Bahia, Brazil. He touched on the landscape there, including the very interesting restinga biome (sand dunes) on the coast. and he focused on the Chapada Diamantina. Growing in this region of Brazil are lots of different genera, and the areas presented well the diversity of Hohenbergia and Sincoraea.

See the February meeting page.

Back in January ‘24

A list of the subfamily Bromelioides
Taken from a wonderful on-line resource at bsi.org:
Gouda, E.J. & Butcher, D. (cont. updated),
A List of Accepted Bromeliaceae Names,
http://bromNames.florapix.nl.
University Botanic Gardens, Utrecht (accessed: 10-10-2016)
Acanthostachys
Aechmea
Ananas
Androlepis
Araeococcus 
Billbergia
Bromelia
Canistropsis 
Canistrum
Cryptanthus
Cryptbergia
Deinacanthon 
Disteganthus 
Edmundoa 
Eduandrea 
Fascicularia 
Fernseea 
Forzzaea 
Greigia 
Hohenbergia 
Hohenbergiopsis 
Hoplocryptanthus 
Hylaeaicum
Karawata
Krenakanthus 
Lapanthus
Lymania
Neoglaziovia
Neoregelia
Nidularium 
Ochagavia 
Orthocryptanthus
Orthophytum
Portea
Pseudaechmea
Pseudaraeococcus
Quesnelia
Rokautskyia
Ronnbergia
Sincoraea 
Siqueiranthus
Ursulaea
Wittmackia
Wittrockia 
xHohenmea
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​We "imported" 10 Hawaiian treats – 5 Vrieseas and 5 Neoregelias. 
​Check out these photos and the key to each set of five.
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​Vriesea hybrid plants, from the subfamily Tillandsioideae
Shiigi Hawaiian Vriesea hybrids
A-(Memoria Howard Yamamoto x Hamakua) x (Leina’ala x John Hirota) (10”-14” tall, 15”-18” across)
B-Dark Ninja F2 (9”-12” tall, 14”-16” across)
C-Kelci Shiigi F2 (11”-14” tall, 15”-18” across)
D-Hawaiian Ruby x Kilauea F2 (11”-14” tall, 14”-17” across)
E-Princess Annique hybrid (13”-16” tall, 14”-17” across)
​Neoregelia genus plants, from ​subfamily Tillandsioideae
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Hawaiian-grown Neoregelia
A-Kohala Mauka
B-Orange Crush x Wisteria
C-Dreamsicle 
D-Purple Star
E-Pemiento
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January 13th's presentation [slide show] was a tour of Cape Town and a road trip on South Africa's highway 7 through the Western Cape and northward through the Northern Cape province to the Orange River on the Namibia border.
Succulents, bulbaceous flowers, wildflowers and other adaptive plants make up the botanical diversity of southwest Africa. They respond when the rains come after a prolonged drought.

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Cape Town garden of Japie Esterhuysen

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October 2023...

Juliana Raposa was in Brazil this past July and gave a fun presentation on an amazing hiking trip.​ 
Bromeliads in the Mata Atlantica
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Come along on a 3-day hike through the bromeliad-rich mountains of Rio de Janeiro. The Mata Atlantica, or Atlantic Forest, is the ancestral home of hundreds of species of bromeliads. Under the expert guidance of Rodrigo Freitas, we got up and close to them in Tres Picos State Park, all the while enjoying a breathtaking sunrise in the granite domes of Serra do Mar and hiking up to a 1,000 year old tree. 
Plant trial: Pitcairnia nigra
A few members have participated in a growing trial for Pitcairnia nigra.  A year ago, Dan Kinnard brought in a few seedlings for SDBS members who have different growing conditions. At the meeting on October 14, 2023, we will bring our plants and share experiences. 
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Tillandsia capitata 'Old Gold'
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October 2023

September ‘23

“Bromeliads of Ecuador”
the presentation by Cristy Brenner as a highlight.

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one of the September prizes: Tillandsia xerographica

Annual Summer Picnic August ‘23

It was another spectacular event -- great weather, wonderful folks, and tantalizing plants. Thanks to the Bird Rock crew for hosting us, and to Nathalie for organizing the plant vouchers & potluck. Everyone did such a good job on the food, too! More photos to come...
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2023 Show & Sale Page
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May 2023:

a field trip to Rain Forest Flora and Hula Tropicals in Bonsall.

Click HERE for PAST EVENT May Tour details.

April 2023 Highlights
Guillermo Rivera was our featured speaker.

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We saw amazing Tillandsias in flower, high elevation Puya, spectacular Vrieseas and the most incredible bromeliad Puya raimondii growing at 4400 meters, with its inflorescence of over 20 feet!

See the video here...
SDBS VIDEOS PAGE
April 2023 Raffle/Auction Plant List
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March 2023
​(between rain showers)!

We enjoyed presentations from 3 speakers on 3 bromeliad genera.
…
three short talks on Dyckias, Vrieseas and Hohenbergias. They are not the most commonly grown bromeliads but you will occasionally see them on the plant table or on the auction block.

Robert Kopfstein entertained us with his knowledge and tales of encounters with Dyckias

Scott Sandel, our erstwhile champion of Neoregelia, showed and discussed his successes with the Vriesea clan.

Andrew Wilson, aided and abetted by Dan Kinnard and Eloise Lau, introduced us to the Hohenbergia crowd and to the styles of living they expect whether sunning on the beach, hiding out in the forest or getting by in the hard places.


February 11th meeting 
It was fun getting together.

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January 2023 

Our speaker for January, Pam Koide-Hyatt, gave a fun and educational talk on the Tillandsia tectorum complex. 
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The raffle was a good mix of various genera, including Tillandsias.  For the auction, we had a wonderful donation of two very large and impressive Tillandsia latifolia.

Highlights from 2022...

This years holiday party was well-attended, and the food was marvelous.
Photos courtesy of Maria Thompson

November 2022

Our speakers in November were all our own members – Guillermo Marrujo, Ronee Kozlowski, and Todd Johnson. Each provided us with a brief description of their own garden. The gardens are situated in different parts of the county from near the coast to the foothills. So we learned what does well in each microclimate.
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October 2022: Brazil

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Rodrigo Freitas program
A journey through the highlands of Rio de Janeiro State


Back in September ’22 ...
​
some parts of the county’ got some much-appreciated rain. The meeting in Balboa Park on September 10th was well-attended. Scott presented a slide show report on this year's World Bromeliad Conference.

There was a raffle table with mesic Ecuadorian imports, augmented with a range of easy to grow yet interesting plants.

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September Raffle Plants

Augu 2022

​Instead of our typical meeting at Balboa Park, we had our annual SDBS member picnic at Birdrock Tropicals for members and their guests.


And now ... a summer brom video!

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Our June 2022 Show & Sale in
Balboa Park, was a huge success!

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Check out these photos below of our Del Mar Fair exhibit in 2022.

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Back in May ‘22

At our meeting in May, we had fabulous turn-out! We had a lively presentation, and the food was great. (Thanks for the anniversary pineapple cake, Kerry!!!) Some nice Neoregelias were placed in a silent auction (new) format. Top-shelf Vrieseas were won in the well-participated live auction! Congratulations, winners of raffle plants. Next year, bring them in to Show & Tell!

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Morlane, who showed us spotted and pink-toned plants from her collection. Scott showed some Neoregelias.

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Our January ‘22 meeting in Balboa Park was fun.
We enjoyed a demonstration by member Robert Kopfstein on terrestrial bromeliads. Robert shared tips on potting, cultivation, and propagation.

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December Plant Sale was a Success!

The holiday season plant sale in Balboa Park was a success by all counts.
It was great seeing folks. Our treasurer, Al Evans, reported financial success. We are a well-oiled machine, with members coming together to set-up the space, work the sales stations, and break-down at the end. Thanks to everyone who participated, especially to our treasurer, Al -- and to Morlane, who organized it.
Some of the plants that were on offer!
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Fantastic, colorful foliage Vriesea bromeliads at October’s meeting
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President Morlane, kicking off the October meeting in Balboa Park


The summer picnic was a blast.

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Thank you Eloise and others for organizing and participating in the picnic at the San Dieguito County Park on September 11, 2021.


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Puya tunarensis

​Roadside Bolivia
Carl Carter’s photo-tour through the highlands and lowlands of Bolivia.

Carl Carter Bolivia Presentation
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​Gabriel Scholtz’s
“The Bromeliad Kingdom”.

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We have a sizeable library of bromeliad-focused videos for viewing on our Videos page. Check them out.

Click here to jump to our Videos page.

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Growing Broms in the Bush
Thanks to Graeme Barclay​ for a great presentation!

Go to our Videos page.
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Pam’s program on Werner Rau was engaging.
Who doesn’t love seeing the bromeliads from Peru?!

Go to our Videos page.
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Tillandsia reuteri, northern Peru
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from Andrew Wilson
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Tillandscia 'El Rancho', T. capitata x xerographica, is now T. riohondoensis
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Tillandsia capitata 'Marron'
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Vriesea 'Huana Fireburst'
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Vriesea Tasman #2
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Remember ... our ​June 2019 Exhibition & Sale in Balboa Park?

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 Bromeliads 
pronounced broh-MEE-le-ads

. . . flowering plants belonging to the plant family Bromeliaceae.
There are more than 3,000 species and hundreds of hybrids.
Join the SDBS: click here & download the membership form.

In a Nutshell: 

Bromeliads are members of a plant family known as Bromeliaceae (bro-meh-lee-AH-say-eye). The family contains over 3000 described species in approximately 56 genera. The most well known bromeliad is the pineapple. The family contains a wide range of plants including some very un-pineapple like members such as Spanish Moss (which is neither Spanish nor a moss). Other members resemble aloes or yuccas while still others look like green, leafy grasses.
In general they are inexpensive, easy to grow, require very little care, and reward the grower with brilliant, long lasting blooms and ornamental foliage. They come in a wide range of sizes from tiny miniatures to giants. They can be grown indoors in cooler climates and can also be used outdoors where temperatures stay above freezing.
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Photos from Nico Nelson, Rod Waddington, Carine06, mezuni
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    • August Coffee in the Brom Garden
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  • About Us/Past Events
    • 2019 Exhibition & Sale
    • WBC San Diego 2018
    • A Look Back: '17 Show & Sale
  • Bromeliad Genera
    • Alcantarea - Brazilian giants
    • Spotlight on Vriesea
    • Behold Billbergia
    • Spotlight on Neoregelia
  • Links
    • SDBS Facebook page
    • ZOONOOZ Beautiful Bromeliads [great article]
    • Bromeliad Society International
    • Florida Council of Bromeliad Societies
    • Queenlsand
    • East London
  • Growing Tips
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  • past: January '21