Hi tropogem,

I guess you are referring to Schizolobium parahyba. I have three of this tree in my garden and I grow my brom under this tree as well as on its trunk. Below is a bunch of these bromeliads under the tree. Hope you still can identify where is the tree. Sorry for unable to show you the whole tree since they are too tall.
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Beware of the leftlets that fall into the vase of your brom.

Hello Hanwc,
That looks awesome, I love it. I can not tell where the trunk of the tree is but i believe you indeed...hehahe.
Yes i did read about the leaves that drop into the vase of the broms can cause rot because of the extra nitrogen being harmful during winter, or something to this effect?
Do you just flush them strongly when the leaves get in there?
Hanwc? Can you please tell me if the branches are enough shade for your broms during winter?
And also do you have branches falling down on your broms ever?
Thanks for showing your tree and Brom Garden
Germaine

One of the trunk is right at the middle of the picture and totally covered by brom. The other one is at the right hand side of the picture where you still can see some part of the brownish trunk.

I do flush the tank type brom to remove the leaflet. Usually the leftlet will turn yellow and drop then the branches will detach from the trunk. But don't worry, the branch is very light and won't harm the brom. As I'm in the true tropics, I don't have Winter here.

Oh Yes I see *smile*
So the branches are fairly light in weight!, this is great to know
I am in the tropics as such, Far North Queensland , North west of Cairns. But i am up in the Atherton tablelands where we can have cool winters down to as low as 5 degrees some nights.

Do you have any idea what would happen to the tree if it was cut back, would it re-shoot and make a lower canopy?
Sorry if im asking silly questions, I just want to know as much as i can before i start landscaping for my broms.

Looks like you have them planted close together to make a nice shady rainforest environment for your broms, is this right?
and by the looks of the size of their trunks are they still fairly young?

Schizolobium parahyba will usually sprout and grow well even after chopping off at ground level . Trees NW of Mossman growing under powerlines are really irritating mates of mine whose job it is the keep the powerlines clear.

Aroideana,
I was reading your post on the forum and realised you are not living far from me being in the tropics in Australia.
May i ask where abouts you live?
Are you somewhere down in Cairns?
Im only 30 mins drive from Mossman, but have to go down the winding range.

I dont go north of Mossman very often but know the area a little. Its wonderful that you came in and told me that about being chopped off and re-shooting, mainly because i was worried that if the wind should blow it over that it might die. We have strong winds here sometimes.

Here's my 12 year old. I've another seedling in back. They do NOT hold up under freezing temps. Great leaf litter too.

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That's my house with the truck, my neighbor lets me use her yard to plant my excess. The tree was planted in '98 as a 3'(1m) puppy. Last year I got viable seed which is where the one in her backyard (mine too) came from. Those are yellow blooms in the top photo.

Tropogem,

As Aroideana said, the fern tree will sprout easily if it cut at its top. Once I seen a fern tree snaped off as a result of thunder, it sprouted into two branches.

Mine one is relatively young compared to Gonzer's tree. But mine one is tall and slender at a height of about 40ft now and never branch.

The tablelands must be the best area to grow bromeliads .
Cape Oasis has some of the best coloured Neos around , I saw Olive Trevor looking at plants she had sold to Sue only 18 months previously , and she did not recognise them .
I worked at Whyanbeel Arboretum for 10 years before buying my own place much further south where we get lots of rain .
Must get me some of those Schizolobium parahyba , could do with some more shade .. recent high temps has burnt even sun hardened plants .

Geez Gonzer, Thanks so much for your pics of the tree, looks a bit of a site without its leaves though doesnt it...LOL. Nice and large for 12 years old

Im still a bit worried that too much sun might come through in winter and burn precious broms though. This is why im thinking to either grow a few closely planted for maximum winter sun shade, but then they would get too much shade during summer.
This is why i was wanting to possibly chop the top for more branching and so seriously asking a multitude of questions for those who have the trees.

Hanwc, i think yours will possibly start branching soon cause they are still young? are they giving enough shade with no branching? The broms underneith are obviously still doing fine.

Aroideana, Yes i know Sue *smile*, she lives 5 mins south drive from me in Mt Molloy. I have been to her home and have walked round her gardens, She does get lovely colour. I have heard other local brom growers say up here in the tablelands is brilliant for colour and thats why Sues are so good.
When i buy from the markets or ebay, i notice that when i pot them up and stick them in my temps and shadehouse they colour up more evenso...I think this is what addicts me to the Bromeliads and mostly Neo's.....its the colour change and the brilliant rainbow i get to see everyday...Im certainly hooked lined and sinkered....heheheeee

Tropogem,

My fern trees are planted just 8ft apart. They provide some shades for some brom but not all genus. Only neoregelia, aechmea, neophytum are doing ok and therefore sitting at the top. For Vriesea and Guzmania ....are not suitable.

I must remember that Hanwc, yes Guzmania and Vriesia are more shade lovers.
I noticed in your pic up there , that your brom pots look like they are hanging in mid air, is this with wire round the pots then tied round the tree trunk?
Or how?
Looks wonderful

tropogem,

you are absolutely right. The pots are tied to the tree trunk with wire. As the brom grow bigger, you won't see the pots.