The Maidenhair Fern Family: The delicate and beautifully foliaged fern group which do require extra humidity while growing in a well drained "sweet" medium, but which are well worth the effort to grow.

These fabuously decorative, and unabashedly exotic "Urn Plants" from the West Indies and South America are epiphytic (growing upon tree branches and mossy rock surfaces) in the wild and thus flourish in perfectly drained mediums with such ingredients as coarse perlite and orchid bark (at all costs avoid sand which bogs down nearly all plants by eliminating oxygen from the root area). In nature their beautiful vase shaped leaf rosettes catch and hold rain water, so you need to keep water in their cups, considering the roots more as anchors than as gatherers of nutrients--thus fish emulsion is a better choice of fertilizer than any chemical formula. All perform well as houseplants with sufficient light and well watered (and lightly fertilized) cups/vases from which emerge the dramatic inflourences of colorful bracts and electic colored blossoms typically followed by showy persistent berries. Watch our speciality lists for additional rare variegated clones of these as well as other Bromeliad genera throughout the season. While dependable house plants, these become truely dramatic flourishes to your hobby greenhouse designs. See below for a fine collection and a good book.

99078 BROMELIAD COLLECTION: An introduction to the variety of genera & habits of these indestructible showy "Pineapple Family" characters. 5 plants @ 22.50--likely including also one or two picked from various genera not listed in this catalogue--typically drawn from Abrometiella, Acanthostachys, Aechmea, Anamea, Ananas, Billbergia, Cryptbergia, Cryptanthus, Deuterocohnia, Dyckia, Fosterella, Guzmania, Hohenbergia, Neoregelia, Nidularium, Hectia, Orthothanthus, Puya, Tillandsia, and Vriesea.

92024 BROMELIADS FOR THE CONTEMPORARY GARDEN by Andrew Steens Bromeliads include several thousand species and a bewildering number of hybrids and cultivars. Remarkable for the diversity of their striking foliage and distinctive forms, many also produce brilliant inflorescences in glowing colors. They are highly desirable, low-maintenance indoor plants, and in subtropical and tropical areas they can be grown successfully outdoors. Bromeliads for the Contemporary Garden is a book for beginners, enthusiasts, and connoisseurs alike. Descriptions and cultivation information for hundreds of species and cultivars, from Aechmea to Vriesia, along with an impressive range of photographs, will inspire gardeners and collectors. 0-88192-604-3, 198 pp, 290 color photos, 4 tables, 8 1/2 x 10 1/4", hardcover, © 2003 35.95 plus $9.50 shipping.

The "Chinese Evergreens" are grown for the beautiful leaves, often richly chevroned or ornately mottled. All Agalonemas have waxy long-lived foliage, making these low light tolerant Aroids excellent houseplants as they are uniquely evolved to tolerate less than perfect humidity. While the following offering reflects only a small idea of our collection, we do often offer rare species and cultivars on the speciality lists on this website and include more obscure types in our popular AGLAONEMA COLLECTION under the stock number of 99551 for five labeled "Chinese Evergreens" for the introductory price of $22.00 to aquaint you with these reliable cousins of the Dieffenbachias.

99551 AGLAONEMA COLLECTION: From our collection of species & hybrids, 5 of these "Chinese Evergreens" @ $28.00