Welcome to PSJPlants, a site for learning a little more about collecting and growing Bromeliads. This is a photo index of my personal collection of Bromeliads. Included are bromeliad related topics and links.

I'm a shade tree Bromeliad hobbyist located in Port St. John on the Space Coast of Florida. I've been asked 'What do you grow?'...'Do you have pictures?' Here it is - my work in progress! Perhaps the site will generate some trade opportunities, create new acquaintances, and allow me to learn more about this fascinating and variable family of New World plants.

I'm finding that the more plants I part with, the more variety I accumulate. On talking with a fellow who said he had an "eclectic collection of bromeliads" I found a greeting. That's the ticket  - Welcome to my "Eclectic Collection". And Remember these 2 things: "Grass is a Weed" and "There's always room for Bromeliads".

The BSI 20th World Conference is coming back to Orlando. This portends to be a good year to be growing!

04/19/2012 The Bromeliad Society of Central Florida (BSCF) Mothers Day Show and Sale May 11th-13th is the next big bromeliad event I'm attending in Central Florida. The location is the Orlando Fashion Square Mall, 3201 East Colonial Drive (HW50) in Orlando, FL. This is a chance to see the Best of the Best bromeliads, with many genera represented. The judging will take place Friday morning, and the plants will be available for viewing all 3 days. Many bromeliads, from the rare to the colorful, will be available for sale by BSCF members and judges. Come on out and join them!

Want to learn more about this fascinating family of the plant kingdom? This is a great time to sign up for membership with the BSCF.  There is usually a bromeliad talk or display at each meeting, with opportunities to acquire more plants, perhaps show off your beauties, and maybe sell some. Meetings are at 7PM on the 4th Monday of every month at Leu Gardens, Orlando.

Check out the events calendar for some other local bromeliad events.

05/03/2012 Do you ever cruise EBay for bromeliads? The varieties and bargains now offered are amazing. The prices sometimes go sky high - I saw one Dyckia go North of $600 recently - and that is before shipping charges! However I just picked up 2 nice Dyckia clones at very reasonable pricing, D. brevifolia 'Moon Glow' and D. velascana, that were nicely grown. I'll be offering some bromeliads on EBay in the future, my hobby is suppose to be self supporting (Ha-Ha). In the meantime I'll be looking for the bargains and be amazed at the bid wars. Come, join the fun!

05/17/2012 Growing Bromeliads from seed is not just for the hybridizer or commercial grower. We shade-tree growers can collect and grow our own seed. Or we can acquire seed from other growers at the local meets. Or, the seed banks. The cool thing about the seed banks -  you can swap seed, specie seed is desirable, as well as purchase some at nominal costs.

The across-border trade in live plants has gotten much stricter, the seed trade ensures diversity lives on. If you grow it and it's an unusual specie, pass it around any way possible, it may no longer be in habitat. 

A fellow at my local society had given a talk on growing from seed a few years back. He had bought these nice little starter boxes that had lids on them for protecting the seedling. Think he paid $50 US for a half dozen of them... I'm cheap. And I like strawberries. I like using the plastic containers that strawberries come in as seed starters. They have slits in the bottom to allow for moisture wicking - at seedling stage I avoid overhead watering to protect their vicarious position. And the lids make a self contained green house - I fill the flat only half full to allow for seedling development.

I've successfully grown but a low percentage of the seed I've attempted, but ended with more plants than I can easily get rid of. And that's only with time and strawberries invested. Give 'er a whirl, 'cause ...

Remember - 'There's always room for Bromeliads'!

What's New? - Look and see.

Diversity of form and color, brightens up our world.