Ok Lisa,you win the show and tell absolutely lovely,my favorite would be the soft pink spotted plant,very feminine plant that,but they are just beautifull ,so ? whats the parentage ? and yes normally i think 2 or 3 generations ahead but in the cross that made the Vr.'Aussie Beauties' it just came good in one shot,wich you 'll agee is a buzz. the only problem than is ,do you keep them all ? and how do you name them all ? still thats a problem i am sure you are willing to face,you do lovely work Lisa,must say that alltough i still dont like computers this brom, forum makes it worthwhile, now that you have teased me Lisa do i have to post something else ? Jack

WOW LISA!!!! I love 'em!

You have been holding back on us I see...

I am partial to all of them.

So do tell which plants were used!

Jack - we are awaiting our new installment!

They are all lovely Lisa.You have to be lucky sometime.

Yes Lisa, you are one very proud happy mother to all your 'babies' shown. They all look very different and definetely worth keeping in any collector's list. I don't know why but the plant at the bottom right seems to grab my attention away from other plants. There's something about that plant. Good job there.

Beauties, every one of them! I must admit, the sweetie on the lower right is very different from anything else I have.

Just curious, Lisa, how long does it take from the moment of deciding to develop a certain plant to the time the plant is commercially available? A couple of years? More?

Thanks all!

Hehe... yes Dennis, I am holding back quite a bit, actually. I tend to be a bit leery about showing every lurker on the web what I'm working on, but it's so much fun when you get a bunch of hybridizers around the world sharing their results that I couldn't help showing off just a little. ;-)

Unfortunately the seed parent is a plant of unknown parentage. It was given to me by someone who told me it would be a good variegation transmitter, so I just wrote "Unk. tran." on the tag. Variously referred to as Unk T, Uncle T, or more affectionately, Uncle Tranny. Yup, he's been a good ol' girl, and fairly reliable. He/she seems to work particularly well with marmorates, not washing them out like some other transmitters do. I think I have a pretty good idea what may be in its background, but I don't know for sure, and all attempts to find out have been dead ends.

The pollen parent of this batch was Winnie the Pooh, so they're all smallish plants, which is what I wanted. Those are in 6" pots, but I'd like to take them even smaller. Most of the best variegates are medium sized plants, but there are very few miniature variegated marmorates, at least I haven't seen many.

I guess we're pretty much agreed on the pick of the litter. I love this little guy the most:

{{gwi:475975}}

I think it's because it's fairly unlike anything else I've seen. That's always goal #1.

The one below is going to bloom any minute now, and I still can't decide whether to pollinate it or not. It looks like it has the right stuff, I just don't have the perfect thing to put on it at the moment.

{{gwi:475977}}

This is the only one that appears to be settling into an albomarginated pattern:

{{gwi:475979}}

I'll probably cull out the unmarmorated white one since it looks like so many other seedlings from other grexes. I'm just hanging onto it for now to see if it will do anything more than what it's doing now, and also to break up all that red!

The other red one front and center is on probation at the moment. You can't see it in the photo but it has one or two little issues I'm hoping it will grow out of. Nothing major, but I'm not one who needs to name and register 1001 variations on a theme, so if it doesn't get its act together I'll be happy with the three pictured above. Those 3 are all fairly distinct from each other, which is goal #2 in my book!

I guess we were writing at the same time, Kim, so I didn't see your question. How long it takes depends on how quickly the individual cultivar grows and pups (and how well I take care of them!) I like to have at least a dozen stock plants of a particularly desirable clone before I release the first one, so that can take a few years. As most of you know, my first point of release is usually to Michael's, so then you have to allow him time to build up his own stock from that too. These little guys are now about two years from seed, and may be another 5(?) years from availability. We shall see...... ;-)

Hi Lisa,

Bottom right is my pick also, it's most unusual and really stands out in a crowd. You must be very proud of your results.

Its great to see a hybridizer of world wide recognition sharing the results of her work with us here on the brom. forum.

As I said in a recent post, "Long live the hybridizer"

Thanks for sharing you joy with us, all the best, Nev.

Lisa, they are all stunning! But the pink one gets the top vote (although the dark red one is a very close 2nd for me)!

I am sure you earned the right to get such a nice lot of 'First Timers' seeing that you are in the tinkering business for so long. And seeing that it IS possible to get it first time right, gives new hope and encouragement for guys like me that has just started doing some hybridizing.

Well done!

Japie

Simply Fantastic Lisa, well done. The alboma one looks a bit reminiscent of 'Garnish' doesn't it ? Would the seed mother be similar to that with same type of parents do you think to the Garnish / Milagro alboma Skotaks ? They are all beauties I think, and agree the lower right is the pick of the bunch for sure. Even Mr. Whitey on the left could develop a nice blush hopefully at flowering too ?(I'm presuming he's part of the grex aswell !)
Thanks for sharing!!
Graeme
PS: Have you thought about turning some of them into 'marmazons' ?!...I can think of a few willing Daddys for your 'Mrs red pants'..haha.

Hi Lisa, they are all just lovely and that soft pink marmorated one is a real standout. Thanks so much for sharing them. Seeing someone getting results like that makes the world a brighter place. Same to everyone else showing their new babies - it's just brilliant. Cheers, Paul

Hi Lisa,it seems we all like the pink one does'nt it ? but the but the other reds are great as well,not having seen the one parent that is the variegata transmitter i can only take a guess looking at the results,and i would expect to get that by using Neo,Meyendorfii Variegata (clone from Gulz ex Germany) for me the pink plant and the red plant are what i call 'end of line plants ' where it becomes hard to see what would be better than that ,and yes i dont allways like all and sundry to know what 's cooking in my backyard but i really dont have any secrets,just surprises ,and it is nice to see what others are achieving as none of us can do it all,when i was in orchids as well as the broms now ,i dont understand the total secrecy of not disclosing parentage when you register your plant(s) you may not know both BUT the seed had to come of something did it not ? and no hybridizer worth their salt would be so remiss as not to keep records,i still can not accept the amount of registerd plants without known parentage,yes we all get the odd plant that you can't identify (wich i give a Number then) and somethings are easely worked out like the N.Z Tasman series of Vr. they all contain a mix of gigantea with platynema and fosteriana ,so why not disclose ? anyway top show Lisa ,they are very outstanding ,keep it up Jack.

Hehe... Nev, I'll have to show my husband that "hybridizer of world wide recognition" part. Maybe then I'll get a little more respect around here! ;-)

Japie, the dark red one is my second choice also, just because of the color intensity, and it's quite even in its form too. It doesn't quite make my heart flutter like little pinky, mostly because I like my marmorates with big bold spots, but I'm certainly not complaining. Let's hear it for diversity!

Graeme, I think you're on the right track with the similarities between Uncle T and Garnish's mommy. I don't know about the concentrica part, I haven't seen much indication of that, but the other two main players in the mix I'd put money on. It may be more complex than that, though, who knows?

Funny you should mention the marmazons. That's another area I've been tinkering with lately, in fact I have several of them using Winnie the Pooh or sibling Christopher Robin. I wouldn't mind going that direction here, especially if it meant going smaller, I'm just not sure that the one that's about to bloom is the best candidate for that. Couldn't hurt to try it, I suppose. Now, if that pink spotty guy blooms, I'm gonna be all over it!

Yes, Mr. Whitey will most likely flush, but I need more than that to make me want to keep it. Gone are the days when any variegated seedling was a rare treasure. I'm up to my eyeballs in them these days so they really have to earn their keep! My shadehouse is so crammed to the gills that every time I pot up a new seedling I have to cull out an existing one to make space. If they don't show me something pretty early on, they're on the next train to the trash pile!

Hi Lisa,

Yes to hammer it home, we both vote for bottom right splattery pink one but would be happy with any from the ones shown.

Hello Lisa,

They all are nice. 2 plants on the bottom right and middle are awesome, however I like the right the most. Good variegated with lovely pink foliages. Looks a lot like a pink lollipop. ;-)

I also like Winnie the Pooh and Christopher Robin. I ask Michael about them. They are shortly supply because of being much sought after. I still love and look forward to both of them.

I'm a baby in hybridization world. Your experiences are very useful for me and everyone. Thank for sharing!

Cheers
Yong

Beautiful photos of beautiful plants Lisa. I too, predictably, like the same as everyone else! It s quite unlike anything else I've seen. Some plants all start to look the same after awhile, so nice to see something new.
Thanks for sharing/teasing us!
B_A

Ditto Lisa! As Japie said, after the gazillion tinkers already undertaken, it's now your due to reap first-cross rewards.
They are all stunning, but I agree with the mob which one is numero uno...nice!

K :)

I do agree with your definition of happiness Lisa! Those are fantastic plants...espec that pink marmorated one...it sure does have eye catching appeal. And I'm pleased to see you are really raising the bar with variegated neo hybrids...looking forward to seeing more of your variegated creations.

Now...I wonder if heffalumps and woozles would come from crosses with winnie the pooh and a tranny ;-)

Lisa,
It's a wonderful gift that you are sharing these with all of us. I talked with another hybridizer a few years ago who had become frustrated that it didn't seem like anything more could be achieved with bromeliad hybrids. It's quite clear from the plants above that many new things are still possible! Thanks for the inspiration!

Paul

Hi all. There is a plant similar to heffalump sorry Lisa, Devos fault, but that is a catchy name! Its one of Michaels numbers,though not as well marmorated. Its dark now but I Think it is called car x conc X fluminensis x amp. Nice plant too.

Cheers
Dennis

Thanks again, everyone! By the looks of it our little pink favorite has a bright future in store for it. Until then, guess I'd better go hide it where nobody can find it! ;-)

Andrew, sounds like you think the same way I do with regards to names. I do like the name Heffalump for a WTP hybrid! I probably won't use it for this one, though, I think it needs something a bit prettier. I have a whole list of potential names that I'm always adding to and consulting whenever I'm about to release a bunch of new hybrids, and there are several that I've never used because they just sound too superlative for the plant in question. This may be a good time to use one of those names, but only if it fits the plant's personality. I'll have to think on that....

Dennis, I'd like to see a picture of the hybrid you mention. It sounds like it could be very nice, but I can't think how you'd get any marmoration at all with those parents. Not maculated (dark spots)?

Paul, I seem to recall one of our forum members making a similar remark about everything that could be done with Neos having already been done, in fact I believe his words were "If you make another 100 hybrids, that's just 100 more that I won't be buying." Yeah...... as you can imagine, that didn't go over too well with me, but that's his loss. If I really believed that, I'd hang it up right now! There are a number of things I'd like to see in a Neo that simply don't exist yet and a number of "barriers" that haven't been broken yet, but they will be. For example, right now it seems like 99% of all variegated Neos begin with carolinae, but why is that? It shouldn't have to be that way, we just haven't figured out how to get around it yet, but sooner or later somebody will. The discovery of new species can change everything too. Just look at what carcharodon Tiger and its progeny have sparked! There are plenty of species that have never been utilized in hybridizing, some with good reason, others just due to lack of imagination. There are still many new frontiers to explore, and anyone who can't see them should probably stay out of hybridizing and just enjoy what they have.

Okay, that's my little rant for the day, thankyouverymuch. ;-)

Hi Lisa, please rant any time.

Hi,Lisa.I certainly would like to meet you personally one day so we can have a good 'rant & rave' your ideologies are parallel to mine ,it was said in orchids years ago that "this is as far as we can go" how wrong they where Its almost like the old saying ; in order for evil to triumph, good men sit on there hands and do nothing" you need a good imagination (after all we 'll never get to the moon)and think outside the square ,and be querious,and yes i agree ,there are so many species overlooked (sometimes for a quick fix) that could change the whole deal,look at Neo.concentrica ,its almost all white hybrid offspring have no trouble growing yet anything that white from Neo,carolinea would not ,Vr.phillipo-cobergii is just starting to show that; yes its green but it carries genes for reds ,as does Billbergia Pyramidalis,one of the problems to is some plants are just not available to us in Oz,i dont know about your areas,there are many Werhauia's i would love to incorparate ,but you can't get them ,and guys if we firmly believed we've reached 'the end of the road' i would not bother to get out of bed,never deal with negatives i say, after all the Bumble bee is not aerodynamic and technically can't fly , but no one told the little bee .Me ? i will keep reaching for stars thank you . and i must say that the enthusiasm from everyone makes it worthwhile,that's my little rave, Jack

Hi lisa.
I ordered that plant on name alone. I didnt expect to get a marmorated plant at all.

I liked it so much that i ordered another.
I will post a picture asap.

I had to google your quote (as it sounded vaguely familiar) and didn't get a hit so is this the paragraph that you got that from?

"I'm not suggesting that you stop, I'm just saying that if you have a modest sized collection, and I do, you can't have them all. If you produce 100 more cool plants then that just means there are 100 more plants I won't be getting. I don't mind hearing about them and looking at pictures and saying, "that's cool" so keep at it."

Hehe..... so that sounded familiar, huh, Nick?

Yup, that was it, preceded by: "Do we need any more Neo cultivars? I think a few thousand is enough. I won't be buying too many more. I've got all the major types of Neo cultivars and any more is just more of the same. Sure you may be able to tell all the pink neo's apart, but honestly, 5 or 10 different pink neo's satisfies my desires."

I'm not going to rant again, I think I already made my point, but just for the record I'm so glad you don't mind hearing about them. ;-)

I dont think for me its a matter of stop,or dont buy anymore ,rather its upgrading ,so if i was to buy a nice spotted,red Neo it would have to be better than 'gold fever' (as an example) but i did'nt feel any one would stop a good breeder from going further or would want to,me?,i am out of room but if i really felt the plant was of use in breeding i would part with some to make room for others,but i will admit when i did the cross that gave me the 'Aussie Beauties' there where a number that so similar what do you do ? did i really need them all ? no not really , they ll have the same potential in further breeding, so you have to either not do that cross again or part with some ,there are so many green Neo hybrids with albo edges that you can only tell apart when they flower (and then its hard) that yes why have more ? and beauty is in the eye of the beholder,i had one Vr. that everyone said 'thats nice' so i named it that.Me? i never thought much of it ,bit harsh as it turns out.We all can get selective over the years as well,and 'bromadams'i did not take your statement as for anyone to stop,i was just generally have my soap box rave ,no offence taken or implied at all.I like to hear anyones comments ,i made similar statements about orchids years ago so i know where you are coming from. like Lisa,thats the end of my rave , i do really apriciate this forum ,its great.Bye all .Jack.

Hello Everyone,

I'm with Lisa and Jack. So many things to lern in bromeliad world. Even though i'm new in a world of hybridization, I'm still thirsty to learn. As Lisa said there were plenty of species that have never been utilized in hybridizing. I would imagine and do hybridize some of Neo. species that've never been used to breed. Everything could happen if we try. ;-)

Cheers
Yong

Hi Gang

OK Lisa here is the Neo. "Car x conc" X "AMP x flum" Sorry had it as flum x amp.

I havenÂt had them in much light as I am always weary of the sun here, so I have yet to see their full colour potential. Well what we see here may be as good as it getsÂwho knows?
Where this plant gets the marmoration from I have no idea.

Japie: do you maybe have one of these in better light?

Here is the first plant I got:

{{gwi:475981}}

Side View

{{gwi:475983}}

My newest one-hope it doesnÂt go albinoÂ.doesnt look promising though.

{{gwi:475984}}

Cheers for now

Dennis

Dennis,
Looks a bit like a 'Hot Gossip' that's had too much gossipping!!...'White Hot Gossip' might a good name for her !
Cheers
Graeme
Go the All Blacks this w-e!.

Hi Graeme

Hehe, I am going to have to look that one up! But white hot gossip is a good name!

Yeah cant wait! Got the beers and BBQ ready...

Viva Springboks Viva!!! I would feel more confident if we hadnt given that last Lions game away a few weeks ago...oh well.

While Dennis' plant is a beauty, I don't think I'd ever confuse it with Lisa's smaller, more pastel-toned creation.

While I don't grasp all of the hybrid discussions, hope you don't mind me chiming in as your average consumer...

As for the world needing more neo cultivars, that's like asking a woman if she needs more shoes. : D Taste and fashion evolve over time, and what do you know, so do neo cultivars.

Hi Dennis

No, I do not have one of those so I can't tell. But according to what I see inside the cup, your plant has more of a maroon/burgundy colour where Lisa's is definitely pink. And having such dark colour deep inside the cup where the light does not reach, does it not mean that you are still giving it too much light thus bleaching the outer, more exposed parts of the leaves?

Japie

I say somebody jumped the fence on that one, Dennis. Whether it's flu x amp or amp x flu, there's no way those two with (cxc) could have made that! It looks a bit like a faded version of marmorata A-M to me, and that's typical of what a seed parent like (cxc) will do to marmoration, wash it out at least somewhat.

Hi all

I have been hiding those plants from the sun under the Bizzie you can see in the background, I moved them out to take a pic but I reckon I will leave them in that spot now to see if the sun does anything for the colour. I agree lisa I reckon the postman was doing his rounds!

For some reason my camera doesnt pick up the colour nicely. Does that with a lot of pinks and reds..,.

Cheers

Dennis

Nice stuff Lisa (as always) I had a good laugh over this statement you made. It's about time you posted a few photos, come on lady give some more up.

"Hehe... Nev, I'll have to show my husband that "hybridizer of world wide recognition" part. Maybe then I'll get a little more respect around here! ;-)"

Don't count on it, I had some Daylily people here, and they really liked some of my seedlings (they were a couple of pretty good hybridizers), they picked out 6 that thought they should be introduced. One of them was blooming for the first time, and is probably the best of the group. I took Ginny out and showed it to her and told her what they said, her comment, "it's ok"! I guess that will not be the one I name after her.

Lisa, aren't you up to 100 registered plants? I know I counted around 94 a while back. I hear the Registrar presents you with a special Century pin after your 100th registration.

A pin, huh. What, no frequent flyer miles?

Yeah, I've been lax about registering things lately, I need to get on it again, especially now that the "what's new" logjam seems to have broken up considerably. I just checked and it currently stands at 95, but I have lots more waiting in the wings.

John, I feel your pain! Actually, Ken's become much more supportive of my little habit now that he sees there is a market for it. The trip to FL for the '07 Extravaganza was a real eye-opener for both of us. That was the first time I'd ever been approached by people who actually knew who I was beforehand. I guess a lot that comes from running my mouth off here. There are way more GW lurkers out there than there are posters, and I met several of them on that trip. I just wish that whatever "worldwide recognition" I may have attained had some impact on our local sales, but local people could care less about new hybrids!

The registry shows 100. 50 Neoregelia and 50 assorted others, cryptanthus, billbergia, xNeophytum, aechmea, Orthophytum, Neomea, xNeostrosis.

Hi Minxie, what it shows no Vrieseas on whats New? hmmmm ,i wonder ? What you said is true Lisa,when i had my orchid Nursery my friend Tamera (Anniesam) and her mum where the only 2 locals that cared the rest of people would rather purchase from any where else no matter what i produced , strange that ,but now even with the Broms, i have no local sales at all,nix, zilch and none . go figure. bye Jack