# Viv-suitable Peruvian Bromeliads



## Spaff (Jan 8, 2011)

Hi all,

I'm looking for some suggestions on brom species that have done well for you in medium large sized vivs (24x18x24) that are native to Peru (mostly but Ecuadorian species would be ok too). 

The tank will definitely be ventilated, not sure if I'll do fans or not at this point. I'd like at least some to be able to hold water, but suggestions for species that do not are welcome too.


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## Groundhog (Dec 17, 2006)

SeeFrogtoFall on this, but I don't believe that any of the smaller neoregelia sp. are native to Peru (or cryptanthus, for that matter). In fact, western Amazonia is not particularly rich in bromeliad species; the hotbeds of bromeliad diversity are the Caribbean, northern Mesoamerica, the Panama-Colombia Darien region, and the Atlantic rainforests, i.e., Guyana, Bahia, Se Brazil (restinga), Paraguay.

Offhand, from the tropical Andes:

_Aechmea abbreviata*
Guzmania condorensis*
Tillandsia biflora*
T. lindenii
Vriesea dubia*
_
from Ecuador/Peru:

_Tillandsia cyanea
T. dyeriana*
T. floribunda
Vriesea (Tillandsia?) espinosae_

* denotes holds water

Now if you are willing to spend +/- an hour, go to fcbs.org and check out some smaller aechmea species. Also peruse the tropiflora.com site for aechmea and tillandsia.

Hope this helps.


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## JWerner (Feb 17, 2004)

Those broms I sent you are of Peruvian origin and hold a good amount of water. They might outgrow your viv though. I'm using them in 18x18x24 zoomeds with great results.


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## Spaff (Jan 8, 2011)

Thanks George. The only Neo. That I know of from Peru is N. tarapotoensis, but my brom knowledge is severely lacking. I'll take a look at your list and do some research on the species you mentioned. 

I may have to broaden my parameters for suggestions since this area is so brom poor. Mainly what I'm after is a brom species that is different than the ones typically offered for viv use. I'm getting sick of constantly using Fireball. I like the look of things like Vriesea vagans and Vr. racinae, but I was hoping someone would suggest a species I haven't been introduced to yet. Anyway, thanks for you help and if you have any more insight into this now, I'm all ears


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## Spaff (Jan 8, 2011)

JWerner said:


> Those broms I sent you are of Peruvian origin and hold a good amount of water. They might outgrow your viv though. I'm using them in 18x18x24 zoomeds with great results.


That's right, Jon! I almost forgot about those. I have them growing in the greenhouse back home, and they've gotten quite big. Do you think they'll eventually outgrow a 24x18x24? Thanks for jogging my memory on those...they have very nice coloration as well. Any idea as to what species it is?


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## Groundhog (Dec 17, 2006)

Werner, could you please list the species? 



JWerner said:


> Those broms I sent you are of Peruvian origin and hold a good amount of water. They might outgrow your viv though. I'm using them in 18x18x24 zoomeds with great results.


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## Groundhog (Dec 17, 2006)

Forgot about tarapotoensis!


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## JWerner (Feb 17, 2004)

No idea. All I know is they came directly for Peru decades ago. Mine reach the top of the zoomeds I use, but not by much. Good contrasting color on them the the dark green/ purple undersides. I like the fact that they hold so much water. That type really provide so many lay spots for pumilio, which I believe the parents appreciate. I have Ryan's coming out like crazy now.


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## Groundhog (Dec 17, 2006)

Aah, a mystery

Do either of you have pics? It is at times like this that fcbs.org becomes invaluable


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## JWerner (Feb 17, 2004)

I can get some late tomorrow. I'll check my photobucket too.


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## JWerner (Feb 17, 2004)

Link: http://i292.photobucket.com/albums/mm28/loganwer/FrogOrchids/DSC03257_zps95ef1695.jpg


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## Blue_Pumilio (Feb 22, 2009)

JWerner said:


> Link: http://i292.photobucket.com/albums/mm28/loganwer/FrogOrchids/DSC03257_zps95ef1695.jpg


Those are FREAKIN awesome!


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## dendrothusiast (Sep 16, 2010)

Can't forget about good old neoregelia mooreana. From ecuador and peru and my choice of brom for my peruvian tank.


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## Manuran (Aug 28, 2007)

JWerner said:


> Link: http://i292.photobucket.com/albums/mm28/loganwer/FrogOrchids/DSC03257_zps95ef1695.jpg


Do you have a photo of the plant in flower?
The plant itself makes my think Lymania. Maybe L. spiculata, but a flower shot would definitely help. Of course L. spiculata is Brazilian in origin.


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## Frogtofall (Feb 16, 2006)

Ill show the picture to Dennis and ask him. I recognize the plant but I can't recall the name. I'm pretty sure we grow it.


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## JWerner (Feb 17, 2004)

Pretty sure I don't have any in spike now, but I will look. Plenty of pups though. They're in need of a trim.


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## Frogtofall (Feb 16, 2006)

Dennis suggested it's likely an Aechmea. Possibly related to fulgens but there are a few others. A. warasii is another similar one.


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## Manuran (Aug 28, 2007)

Frogtofall said:


> Dennis suggested it's likely an Aechmea. Possibly related to fulgens but there are a few others. A. warasii is another similar one.


Wow. You get an id made from Dennis Cathcart! 
This connection should be very helpful for everybody.


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## JWerner (Feb 17, 2004)

Just checked the greenhouse and none are in spike, but there are some well started pups. If I remember right, the spike is about 12" with small light blue/white flowers. Not sure if that will help with the ID. I can check a friends greenhouse today as well. (See classifieds)


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## Frogtofall (Feb 16, 2006)

Manuran said:


> Wow. You get an id made from Dennis Cathcart!
> This connection should be very helpful for everybody.


Well I do work at Tropiflora, I would hope he would help me! 



JWerner said:


> Just checked the greenhouse and none are in spike, but there are some well started pups. If I remember right, the spike is about 12" with small light blue/white flowers. Not sure if that will help with the ID. I can check a friends greenhouse today as well. (See classifieds)


What would be nice to know is the berry color. Can you send me one of your plants? I'll pay or we can work something else out. Shoot me a PM if you like.


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## JWerner (Feb 17, 2004)

Berry color is red.


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## andersonii85 (Feb 8, 2004)

Another one of Peruvian origin worth seeking out is Tillandsia somnians. It's a tank type tilly with a really cool habit of sending out offsets along inflorescences.


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## Frogtofall (Feb 16, 2006)

^A nice one but difficult to find. I've tried a few times. I always wanted one. Good recommendation.


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## Spaff (Jan 8, 2011)

dendrothusiast said:


> Can't forget about good old neoregelia mooreana. From ecuador and peru and my choice of brom for my peruvian tank.


I like this suggestion! Looks like a viv-friendly pendula. Any issues with the spines on it?


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## fishman9809 (Dec 8, 2008)

Spaff said:


> I like this suggestion! Looks like a viv-friendly pendula. Any issues with the spines on it?


The only issue with the spines is that you hurt yourself a lot when you do viv maintenance. They are SHARP.


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## Spaff (Jan 8, 2011)

fishman9809 said:


> The only issue with the spines is that you hurt yourself a lot when you do viv maintenance. They are SHARP.


In about a month of owning Neo. pendula, I've been jabbed a number of times, and I can imagine the two species are of similar sharpness based on pictures of mooreana. I've never really thought much of the spiny broms impaling frogs idea, but then again I've also never really used spiny broms in a frog tank. Those spines are just a bit unsettling, though.


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## dendrothusiast (Sep 16, 2010)

Spaff said:


> In about a month of owning Neo. pendula, I've been jabbed a number of times, and I can imagine the two species are of similar sharpness based on pictures of mooreana. I've never really thought much of the spiny broms impaling frogs idea, but then again I've also never really used spiny broms in a frog tank. Those spines are just a bit unsettling, though.


ha ha yeah I've dropped a few inappropriate words a few times when trimming around them. My chazutas seem to like them though and in the wild I believe most ranitomeya inhabit the spikiest of broms for security reasons. If your trying to get a natural tank can't go wrong with that brom since it prevents you from taking tads out and letting nature take it's course.

If you were growing pendula then I think your good. I actually fear that brom more than mooreana when watering it since I always get an itch on where that thing pokes me on my fingers.


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## andersonii85 (Feb 8, 2004)

Frogtofall said:


> ^A nice one but difficult to find. I've tried a few times. I always wanted one. Good recommendation.


Rainforest flora typically has it, but it's pricey. Personally, I've never tried it in a Viv, but I know a few folks in Europe and Australia grow it successfully in viv's with frogs.


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## hydrophyte (Jun 5, 2009)

That T. biflora is cool. How big does that one grow?


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## Groundhog (Dec 17, 2006)

6" across, 8" tops. Seems to need cooler nights.



hydrophyte said:


> That T. biflora is cool. How big does that one grow?


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## Groundhog (Dec 17, 2006)

Doesn't this plant grow rather large, especially when it flowers? 

Hey, another beautiful plant is _Tillandsia wagneriana_--if your tank is the size of a bathroom.



andersonii85 said:


> Another one of Peruvian origin worth seeking out is Tillandsia somnians. It's a tank type tilly with a really cool habit of sending out offsets along inflorescences.


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## andersonii85 (Feb 8, 2004)

Groundhog said:


> Doesn't this plant grow rather large, especially when it flowers?
> 
> Hey, another beautiful plant is _Tillandsia wagneriana_--if your tank is the size of a bathroom.


From the photos I've seen I say it stays within Viv parameters. Probably 8-10" across, so on the bigger side. The inflorescence can get really long, but I don't know of anyone who has actually got one to flower in a Viv.


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## Groundhog (Dec 17, 2006)

What is the point of having _T. somnians_ if it won't flower? That's like dating --hmnn, lessee--Christina Hendricks and she won't (oops )

I am always leary of bromeliads that are actually bigger than they are, if ya know what I mean--when one considers their inflorescence or propensity to offest, such as _Vrisea delicatula_ (pretty little plant, huge inflorescence) or _V. sucrei_ (even bigger) or _Neoregelia pauciflora_ (cascades--and cascades--and cascades...). I had to dis my _Neo_ 'Alley Cat' because its long stolons cause to offset so far away from the mom, it was shading the plants below it. 





andersonii85 said:


> From the photos I've seen I say it stays within Viv parameters. Probably 8-10" across, so on the bigger side. The inflorescence can get really long, but I don't know of anyone who has actually got one to flower in a Viv.


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## Manuran (Aug 28, 2007)

Groundhog said:


> I am always leary of bromeliads that are actually bigger than they are, if ya know what I mean--when one considers their inflorescence or propensity to offest, such as _Vrisea delicatula_ (pretty little plant, huge inflorescence)


Vr. delicatula proportionally has a tall flowering spike, but it isn't that big at all. The top of the spike can stand at about 12" (so an 8" or 9" spike), but it is such a sparsely branching/flowering thing that it is easy to deal with. I'm not sure if it is clonal or due to growing conditions, but I have also had compact plants where the flowering spikes top out at 7" (so a 4" spike) or so. 
And a cute 3" to 4" tall Vriesea is just hard to beat!


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## hydrophyte (Jun 5, 2009)

Groundhog said:


> 6" across, 8" tops. Seems to need cooler nights.


That's not such a bad size. 

Does it need cool nights to survive, or to bloom?

I like the looks of these urn-shaped Tillandsia. Are there any species with this habit that stay real small?


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## Groundhog (Dec 17, 2006)

hydrophyte said:


> That's not such a bad size.
> 
> Does it need cool nights to survive, or to bloom?
> 
> I like the looks of these urn-shaped Tillandsia. Are there any species with this habit that stay real small?


Devin:

1) In terms of _T.biflora_ size: Think of a small vriesea, like those force-bloomed Charlotte or Christianne one sees in a Home Dept or Lowe's; between racinae and saundersii. I surmise that you will not run your set ups as warm as I do (high 80s), so it should survive. But, as _T. biflora_ is an Andean plant, it does appreciate a nighttime drop. It has a nice inflorescence, and it is not monocarpic.

2) Hmnnn.... The only smaller "tank" tillandsias that I can think of that are readily available are _T. dyeriana_ and T. _leiboldina_, but these have more of an "ampule" shape. Both should do well, as long as that get decent ambient humidity and some air circulation. Neither is "real small:" Dyeriana is about the size of a smaller bilbergia or aechmea; leiboldiana about the size of a smaller vriesea (e.g., Fireball or olens). 

uuuu


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## Groundhog (Dec 17, 2006)

Manuran said:


> Vr. delicatula proportionally has a tall flowering spike, but it isn't that big at all. The top of the spike can stand at about 12" (so an 8" or 9" spike), but it is such a sparsely branching/flowering thing that it is easy to deal with. I'm not sure if it is clonal or due to growing conditions, but I have also had compact plants where the flowering spikes top out at 7" (so a 4" spike) or so.
> And a cute 3" to 4" tall Vriesea is just hard to beat!


Really, Chuck? So to put it another way, you've grown this vriesea so it could fit in a 10 gal tank?!? Gots to find me one of these!


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