Bruce explained that he has done many of these talks, and invariably brings too many plants. Bromeliads originate in South America and Mexico. Some are tropical and cannot be grown in temperate climates but many varieties are suitable to grow in Melbourne. The most commonly grown bromeliad is the pineapple!Bromeliads are popular in Europe as house plants as the flowers (bracts) last for many months.‘Old Man’s Beard’ is popular and easy to grow but very tempting to birds.Bruce has been growing bromeliads for over ten years and is a member of the Bromeliad Society, which is how he built up his collection of plants, including buying them from shows and over the internet on eBay. There are many different varieties and the flowers come in lots of different colours from white to deep reds, yellows, oranges, blues and pinks, which makes them very collectable. The foliage can be plain colours, light greens to very dark colours, almost black and can be variegated or have stripes and splashes of colour.They are easy to grow in the garden and also look great in pots and hanging baskets, particularly the miniature ones but need to be turned regularly to ensure they grow evenly. Some are frost tender and need to be protected from cold; Bruce does this by growing them under the eaves for protection and bringing some plants inside over the very cold months. Light is very important to ensure good colours but most cannot tolerate full sun - some can be acclimatised. Overwatering will make them rot and kill them. They don’t need to be fed and prefer a light soil which is well drained. In pots, use orchid bark mixed with about a third potting mix. In the garden, mix the soil with bark.
