Hi Mike, Just a reminder, in the nursery industry plastic pots are classified as "hot" and clay pots as "cool". Foliage and plants in general coming from hot and humid climates seem to do very well in plastic. But in an already hot and humid climate, plants that originate in cool and/or Mediterranean climates prefer by far clay, since it allows for a much better breathing of the root system, prevents root rot and promotes blooming. If your hydrangeas have been doing relatively well in plastic, try clay and you'll see the difference. This is common practice among commercial growers who need to minimize health problems while promoting quick blooming for quick crop turnover. The longer they take to bloom, the least revenue they generate...Even in cool countries like France and Belgium clay pots is most often the choice for blooming potted plants(Hydrangeas, Azalea Indica, Bougainvilleas, etc...).

Hi everyone. Jeannie – Tj is correct; your plant is definitely a Neoregelia and I would imagine it's also a hybrid as I’m not aware of any species with this type of variegation. Variegated Neoregelias of this type are commonly known collectively as “radial reds”, which describes the reddish coloured fine lines on the foliage which radiate out from the centre of the plant. As for a cultivar name, it’s impossible to say with any certainty as there are just so many hybrids from different parents which although different, all look similar. One of the most commonly seen ones here in Australia is called Neoregelia ‘Rosea Striata’; if you go to the Australian Bromeliad Society site at http://www.bromeliad.org.au/ and search for it in the Photo Index under Neoregelia Cultivars – It is number 206 and there are four pictures showing it at various stages of maturity. I have used it as a breeding parent and find that it passes on this radial red feature to a percentage of its progeny. In July 25, 2015 I started a thread on this forum called “I'll show you mine if you show me yours” See: http://forums.gardenweb.com/discussions/3253631/ill-show-you-mine-if-you-show-me-yours and in it I posted pictures of nine different cultivars from a crossing I did using Neo. ‘Rosea Striata’ as a parent. They are all classed as “radial reds” and all have the radiating red coloured lines on the leaves, but all have different background colours. You say, “I have never seen a bloom: (on it/in it)” - Neoregelia flowers are not very spectacular or prominent, and are quite tiny, white to mauve in colour and are located down in the centre of the vase sometimes out of sight and covered by water. However, Neoregelias aren’t grown for the flowers, they are more specifically grown for foliage colour, and to get the best colours you need to provide them with good light (but not direct sun) and occasionally feed them, with a fertiliser which is higher in Potassium than Nitrogen. All radial reds have that red lineation and some have the addition of a rose to red coloured centre at flowering time which adds even more to their beauty. Neoregelia 'Rosea Striata' Two examples of Neoregelia 'Rosea Striata' hybrids Neoregelia 'Nina Rehak' - Showing the beautiful rose coloured centre All the best, Nev.

ha ha jokes on me ! I read your post to say you were looking for id's on 3 of them . My only excuse would be ......well no excuse . I misread ,it's as simple as that . No problem , If you know who they are that's great . I have some I wish I could id many thanks to my dogs for running off with the tags and chewing them up. Here's some examples . Anyone want to hazard a guess? The one I really want to id of course I cant find the picture of at the moment . I will keep looking for that picture . Oh and one last thought, jo_pyeweed don't you dare stop posting !!!!!! Who am I ? only clue I have to this yellow one is that it blooms in end of May in my zone 6 and is about 2 feet tall here , does anyone think this could be Custard Candy ? Found the other image I was looking for . Anyone know this plant ? It's a shorty ......maybe 23 or 24 inches tall.

Cuban Petticoat Palm (Copernicia macroglossa), I think. I also think they do eventually form a trunk.