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luisortizsrq

where can i get Catopsis berteroniana in florida

Luis Ortiz
9 years ago

Im in Sarasota-Bradenton and will like to get some Catopsis berteroniana plants and have not been able to find them,.....tropiflora doesnt have it,..nor any on the small nurseries,....any help will be great,.....thanks everyone,...

Comments (7)

  • hotdiggetydam
    9 years ago

    Dave Johnston may have it in his collection. Or call Bryan at Tropiflora he may know a source.

  • Luis Ortiz
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    thanks ill try tropiflora

  • williamr
    9 years ago

    I just ordered one online from a nursery in Amsterdam (I don't know if I'm allowed to mention supplier names on gardenweb). They are obviously willing to ship to the USA. The Catopsis berteroniana and the shipping was $60, so it wasn't cheap, but I have high hopes of finally having this plant (again) within a few weeks. The nursery also carries Brocchinia reducta.

    I find it surprising that there are no USA suppliers of this bromeliad (that I found at least). I bought one off eBay 6 years ago, and I think I literally killed it with kindness within a few months. Haven't seen one for sale since. A Google search yielded three suppliers from Europe, two of which currently have it in stock.

  • naoh123
    9 years ago

    Sorry if this is breaking a rule, but I'm betting williamr is referring to bestcarnivorousplants. I think it's okay to mention vendors as long as you're not shamelessly pitching them? Anyhow, chiming in because this was also the only place I was able to find any of the semi-carnivorous broms last year. I did get a C. bertroniana from them and added in a second one through their little bonus option. They arrived in good health considering how long they had to sit in a box, perked up after a good watering and a few days to decompress. Unfortunately I lost them due to a bad house sitter while on vacation. A few weeks ago I got the last one tropiflora was offering (sorry!). The pair I got from bestcarnivorous were definitely pups or immature plants from seed as they were about 5-6in tall. The tropiflora specimen is either at or near maturity, 12-14in tall. I don't think you'll go wrong with either vendor. Good luck!

    P.S. There is definitely some irony in having to reach out to an EU vendor to obtain a plant native to this continent! Supply and demand makes for some ridiculous scenarios.

  • williamr
    9 years ago

    Exactly Noah. I probably live 175 miles from the nearest wild Catopsis berteroniana specimen. Yet, I have to have one sent in from what, 6,000 miles away?! I had no idea Tropiflora ever offered them. I actually ordered mine from Araflora, but now that I know about Bestcarnivorous plants, I will be ordering the other Catopsis species they offer as money allows. I hope the specimen I get will be larger than the one I bought on eBay in July 2008. It was less than 3" in diameter, but healthy. This is now 4 European vendors which have this bromeliad on their regular price list, yet no USA vendors have it on a regular basis. I have Catopsis nutans (pups for trade), now if I could find Catopsis floribunda. I have NEVER seen Catopsis floribunda for sale, or even in cultivation. I'm sure a few in South FL have it (not for sale, but in private collections).

  • williamr
    9 years ago

    I need to add that the cost WITH shipping was $60, not the cost of just the shipping.

  • naoh123
    9 years ago

    I've been keeping up with tropiflora's inventory for a while now and it's definitely one of their rarer offerings. I hate to admit it but the C. bertroniana they were offering last time around was $100. I was definitely relieved to see it was such a large specimen, took a little bit of the sting away. They really are interesting bromeliads, though. I read that they emit an attractant for bugs and that their powdery surface keeps them from getting away. I believe it since there are always a lot of unfortunate victims caught in the plant's well. I also have a small Brocchinia reducta and a seedling B. hechtioides, two other bromeliads cited as semi-carnivorous.

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