Richard your Alcantarea's are simply stunning. I purchased a Skotak some time ago and love watching it grow each month awaiting the day it blushes to flower. The giants of the bromeliad world are truely fantastic.

Richard,

I would love to see some more pictures of the flower spike on the Brasiliana as it develops if you have time.

Does the Purple Skotak produce grass pups?

Thanks,

Rick

Richard,

Is Alc. brasiliana the one the North Queenslanders call "Cairns Green"?

I bought some seed of this a while back and now have lots of babies.

All the best, Nev.

Hi all.
Thanks Matt

Hey Rick the flower spike belongs to Alc. imperialis x vinicolour hiding netween the two larger ones.
(brasiliana -large green at back and Skotak in front)
Skotak does give grass pups.
I will post more flower spike pics later.

Hi Nev, yes also refered to as Cairns green giant.

Cheers Richard

dribble dribble dribble.....ohhh gosh I believe I am also falling for these guys.
I have a imperialis rubra looking stunning in my bromhouse and I also purchased a vinicolour? from Jennie a while ago.
I cant wait for maturity for some of these guys.
What stunners
Thanks Richard.

Can someone else also show some more of these ?
I love to see them in other peoples gardens doing their thing. Anyone got any recent shots?

Man I love your guys' alcantareas! I was going to comment on how much I like that Skotak, but they are all great lookers.

I was really looking forward to growing out some brasiliana out from seed that I got from the guy who was selling them on Ebay from Australia. But no such luck. Must have been bad seed pod, not one germinated using many methods. Is it just my impression, or are alcantareas more common(/available) and more popular down under?

Hi Richard,
I can see why it's called Cairn's Greeen Giant from the pictures. The chap I bought the seed from had these on Ebay to show what it was like..

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More like "Jack and the Beanstalk".

All the best, Nev.

Ohhh for heavens sakes...Now I must have one or more....LOL

thats just glorious

The new photo on FCBS of "Purple Skotak" looks a identical to what one of our specialty nurseries here has sold for years simply as 'rubra'. They don't resemble the 'rubras' that some of you hve posted up.

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Gonz - your Alc. imperialis rubra looks like those we grow here in Oz. I think the Kiwis' imperialis rubra is the much darker one - what we call imperialis purpurea (now named 'Silver Plum'). The difference with the imperialis 'Purple Skotak' is the even broader leaves, and more purple than the standard one. Its nickname is "The Purple Cabbage", due to its overall shape from the very broad leaves.
I agree the new photo on fcbs does not do it justice, especially colour-wise. I suspect that one was photographed in the warmer months, and in less than the desirable light to enhance its colour. Heavy feeding will result in lack of colour and longer leaves. There are many different forms of imperialis. They are very promiscuous in their natural habitat, resulting in various forms growing side by side. Many that we have available here are grown from seed collected in Brazil.

Richard - your alcantareas are looking great. It will be interesting to compare their colour at the end of winter.

K

Hi Richard, just great to see those Alc's. I just love them and can't wait until my little fellas get a bit of size on them like yours. Thanks a lot for the pics. Cheers, Paul

I can't wait until my little ones grow to look like those.

Hi everyone,

I see that Bunnings in our area recently had some nice plants of Alc. Imperialis reasonably priced.

They appeared very lush which I suspect means they were glass-house grown tissue cultured plants from up north somewhere, and because the cold weather has finally arrived down here I decided to give them a miss.

Good value just the same; about 12" high for $25Aus.

All the best, Nev.