Here it is again!

Hi all

We all admire the wonderful ornamentals created by the ever-growing band on hybridisers - lots of us in this forum! It's pretty amazing what nature has produced too!

Everyone knows hieroglyphica, fenestralis, fosteriana, etc but there are many beautiful species that are still rare, possibly because they are difficult to grow or raise from seed or rarely bloom or pup or recent discoveries or very slow or a combination!

A while back Vr pastuchoffiana was mentioned. It falls into most of the above categories. Hopefully it will bloom for me next year - about 10 years since the last blooming (scanned pic), and only 3 pups from 2 clones. The seed was raised by a few of us and we all lost the lot after a few months so it is tricky too. From memory it didn't self and there were a few flowers that were simultaneously open on both clones so they were crossed. Unfortunately I had no other foliage Vrieseas in bloom at the time! Maybe the freezer will be used next time.

The other is a from wild seed of possibly Vr bituminosa - 3 years old now.

Cheers, Pedro

PS The photos are on the old message! I thinks Jack's reply corrupted it! Got to watch those Vriesea fanatics!