BOB, nice plant! where did you get yours? you imply that it was before it was available from Tropiflora?--Stitz

Stitz, got it from Michael's bromeliads. I mentioned it in an e-mail about some others I was ordering,and he replied that he had a few [tho not listed in his catalog],so I added it to my order. Bob

Yes, that is nice!

It's a Crypt because of the flowers, Bob. Dyckias have a long spike and a hard seed capsule but Cryptanthus just have little flowers and soft berries right in the center of the rosette, sometimes in the leaf axils. Some of the Orthophytums bloom like that too, and they are much more closely related, but the floral structure is still a little bit different.

As far as culture, though, aren't you supposed to grow this more like an Orthophytum than a "standard" Crypt? I've heard they don't do so well in shady moist conditions.

Right Lisa,I was told by Michael,that he grows them in good light but on the dry side,and fertilzes when wetting the soil,not the leaves. I've been doing that,and its growing nicely so far.Indoors,I have it in a morning sun window,but not outdoors so far this year because of all the rain we've been getting.Much too wet this year for this crypt. Bob

Hey Bob, I just came back from my trip in South Africa, really amazing, but no Brom at all !! just only Aloe that looked alike.

After 18 days leaving home, the first thing when I arrived was certaintly looking at my Broms. All the stuffs from Michael have been all right. My Cryp. warasii seem to be your little brother! quite smaller, but do well.

Good to have you back Stephania. I'm hoping you will post many photos of your recently received plants from Tarrington and Michaels. Bob

I got my C. warasii from Tropiflora quite a while ago when they had a "special"...kind of like the more recent offering they had for Anthurium regale...they got a bunch of plants from a "specialist" grower that they sold off for them. I think Tropiflora has a history of helping famous and semi-famous horticulturists sell off collections every once and a while.

Anyway my C. warasii was from a group that was part of such a sale from a couple in TX who had been long time growers of this specific plant. It was a one time offer. Now, I think that they have acquired some more, or perhaps had some left over from that same batch that they have been able to propagate, and they are offering them again.

Mine is now a resident of the Greenhouse Rock Garden, and its the middle of a fairly severe T storm, else I'd go snap a pic

Hi all, here they are, my stuffs from Michael.

Bob's little brother Cryp. warasii
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Some of Orthophytums
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And these are some Dyckias
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As your request Bob, these are some Encholiriums from Tarrington Exotic.
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This is what he label "unknow brom" that I think it should be a Puya.
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Thank you for the photo posting Stephania. All very nice plants and excellent photo taking.A few questions:
In the 2nd Ortho photo,could you ID the larger white/purple plant on the left. Might it be 'Stardust'?
on the next photo of Dyckias,could you ID the center one,purple inner leaves,green outer leaves,and the plant to the upper left of it,grey inner,outer purple leaves.
All nice looking plants.
On the Enchorlirium photos,is 'Toscanoi' in there ?

Here is a pic of some of the plants from my recent Michaels order. Some the same as your choices.
Bob
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Hi Bob, in the 2nd Ortho photo, yes it's 'Stardust' and on the next photo of Dyckias,the one with purple inner leaves,green outer leaves is D.'fosteriana x platyphylla
and the plant to the upper left of it,grey inner,outer purple leave is D.chlorosticta hybrid

There is not 'Toscanoi' in the Enchorlirium photos, the Tarrington's plant just labelled "Encholirium sp. No. 1,2,3 etc.with a locallitiy of collection"

Actually, I really love this one Orth. sp.'silver, from Burle Marx garden' it's among the most expensive in this shipment, but pretty good.

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Also this one, Orth. 'Brittle Star', I've no idea how it would be when mature, but purple leaves with nice big teeth is worth.

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Yours are very attractive, what's about that biggest silver one , and small plants in the centre, also a pretty green one at the bottom. I noted you have some Hechtia too.

Stephania,the names of the plants in my photo above are :
Top,left to right ; H.marnier-lapostollei, H.meziana(in same pot], Ortho.gurkenii, Ortho.lemei,
In the center, Deuteroconia aff. lorentziana [6 plants]
Bottom ,left to right ; H.marnier-lapostollei X meziana,
Dyckia velascana [green], Ortho.albopictum.
I like your Cr.warasii,many leaves and will be a full plant,tho a slow grower. Also like the O.'brittle star',must get me one of those.
I have a question on your photos...what is the top center white-ish Ortho in the photo after the Cr.warasii pic ? it looks similar to the pic on FCBS site of Ortho. toscanoi.
And so does the Ortho. 'silver / burle marx gdn' look like O.toscanoi. Is any of them toscanoi? Also,did you receive any Or.toscanoi from Tarrington ? [ and it was my error to ask if the Enchorlirium photo had a toscanoi in it...I meant to say Orthophytum,not Encho.]
Thanks for posting the close-up photos. All very nice.
Bob

Bob, I've not got Orth. toscanoi yet, and had no idea that Rudolf had it since you mentioned, but, I absolutely agree with you that the plant is really neat, and I will try to get one from Tarrington when he came back to Australia in September.

Yes, there is one of ten kinds of Encholirium he sent me that look like Orth. toscanoi. I don't know why I've forgot to take Orth. albopictum, it's really neat too, may be next order.

Stephania,I think I misled.I've been hopping around from site to site so much,I must be getting 'picture-punchy'. Tarrington does not have O.toscanoi at this time that I know of,but has one similarly attractive,an Encholirium 'Vau'. Its pictured on his site under 'New Additions',but only seeds seem to be available.Some other nice sounding Encholiriums and seeds are also available there too.I've found no site that offers O.toscanoi for sale. If you hear of one,I'd like to know of it. Bob

Stephania, that little Orthophytum 'Brittle Star' is one of my seedlings. It is an F2 of my friend Hatsumi Maertz's cross of O. saxicola x gurkenii. I don't think I have a picture of a mature plant, but it is very prolific, forming a dense cluster like O. saxicola, but it flowers on a short stalk. A real cutie.

If I'd known about Dyckia 'Brittle Star' when I named it I would have chosen another name, but the big spines just reminded me of the starfish.

Bob, you've mentioned about a really neat Encholirium sp. 'Vau' of Tarrington Exotics, yes I've already got 200 seeds along with that shipment. They appear to germinate very well, 70%. I note that this Encholirium seem to be the same species in a picture of Dr. Esteves site : Encholirium sp. E-553, a brom that I will die for !!!...Are you with me, Bob ?
(Pls see the link)

Hi Lisa, I'm really appreciated to know that you're the breeder of Orth.'Brittle Star'. I think the name is really appropriate, even there's been another Dyckia 'Brittle Star' or not.

Here is a link that might be useful: Encholirium sp. E-553

Stephania. 200 seeds at 70%=140 seedlings of Vau. You will be the Bromeliad King of Thailand! If you have too many,[and you do],I will help you by taking some off your hands ;-)
I will order some seeds from Rudolph in Sept.,as I don't think that will be an import problem.
That link you sent is one I've been visiting for some time,and is where I first saw 'Vau'. Many other nice plants and photos there as well,but that grouping of Vau is outstanding. I would think some Brazilian brom sites would be offering Vau and Toscanoi for sale,but I've not seen any as yet. Perhaps Michael's or Tropiflora could obtain them if requested. I think they'd be a good seller.
ps: Re:'Vau'.."to die for",would not be my first choice...would like to try more conventional methods of obtaining them first. Regards Bob