Wow, Tommy, those look amazing. > The problem with most of these [Bromeliads], though, is the fact that nurseries force them into bloom long before they've had a chance to reach their full grown, mature size. What does this mean, Tommy? Both my big-box-bought Broms created pups after flowering, so they were apparently mature enough for that. We can't blame commercial nurseries for creating the right cultural conditions for plants to flower and otherwise reach sellable/showable/photographable condition sooner rather than later. Isn't that exactly what we hobby growers also strive to do? As for literally the "size" - I do not think that it's a goal for many consumers necessarily. That is why a lot of miniature varieties of plants exist and are very commercially successful. Bromeliads can get huge indeed, depending on the species/cultivar - but then much of the market is excluded from even considering them for purchase, so the growers' incentives are clear. > Cryptanthus are terrestrial members of the brom family as are pineapples. Their roots are made for water uptake and should be watered like "normal" plants. Paul, many broms including epiphytes, can adapt to also take water in through their roots in addition to taking it through the reservoir, if the roots feel any moisture. Neoregelias and Aechmeas (which are the only two I grow) both can do that, I think. I've left both in the original medium, and they are doing fine. My Aechmea doesn't even have much of a cup, so barely any water stays there and it all drains into the mix. Bromeliads are fascinating, I think - unlike any other house plants. I am still learning a lot about them. > Aseed, interesting point about cultivars being possible novelties. I prefer a sturdy species plant usually too. Oh boy, many orchid growers would have a lot to say about that - on both ends of the spectrum. There are species growers who want things as they are in nature and want a challenge. They also do an absolutely indispensable work of preserving many endangered species. But the fact that even they do not dispute is that many orchid hybrids have become so much easier over the many years people have been hybridizing them. Hybrids often bloom larger, brighter, easier, longer and more often - often all of the above in the same hybrid, compared with their ancestor species. Temperature preferences are often wider than for either of the parent species or hybrids. Culture is often consistent or nearly-consistent throughout the year - rather than the cold period and the wet period and the dormant period and the tambourine dancing period that species often have to have. Imagine growing even just a few species with divergent periods like that in a typical house or a greenhouse or outdoors - wherever you grow. I can't personally, unless I am growing ONE group of plants with similar requirements (I'd lose interest in three milliseconds). So that is where the hybrids may come in. With orchids, hybridizers often grow thousands of seedlings for years, they get many of them to flower, then they select one or two for many of the characteristics desirable to growers and consumers, DISCARD all the rest and clone the hell out of the best of the best of the best of the best - we are talking football field sized greenhouses growing 100% genetically identical orchids. That is what ends up in your local big box store, and I would not knock it at all, resiliency- and looks-wise, considering the crazy selection those plants went through. I do not know much about cultivating other species, but I am sure with any cultivars, they do not do it to be difficult, in fact they breed what can be sold - in other words what you and I would buy. So, what's the problem again? Here's another example of this sort of "artificial selection": what's called "Christmas Cactus". In the good old days, your grandma probably grew Schlumbergera bridgesii. But their natural flowering period was a bit off to be sold for the holidays, and their growing habit is to grow out the pot and down right away. That was difficult for growers (need to force the blooms), difficult for shippers (lots of snapped-off segments in transit) and difficult for buyers (the look is not for everybody). Then they noticed that a similar looking Schlumbergera truncata grows more upright (easier to transport, less damage in stores, and a more traditional potted plant look), is a more resilient species and flowers more naturally when they need to be sold. So they hybridized that one instead, and now it is impossible to find the old-fashioned "true" Christmas cactus commercially, except for through word of mouth exchanges - probably from a few grandmas that still grow it. But S. truncata is truly a stronger species. I actually grow the "vintage" one and have no interest in getting the one wider available - but I am not like the mass market, and probably neither are most of you reading this.

After the hurricanes of 2004, we lost much of the spanish moss in trees. We didn't really notice this until a few years ago when the moss returned. It is pretty and certainly helps define the South. Spanish moss is a plant and contrary to popular tales, Spanish moss will not " kill" a tree. The weight of heavy growth can be a negative on fragile tree limbs but the plant itself is not a killer. Cows adore the S.moss. If you have too much on the ground and you are fortunate to live near pastures, to toss it over the fence to the cows. Here is a link that might be useful: Spanish-moss (Tillandsia usneoides)

Looks to me like a piece of a lichen. One possible genus is Alectoria, try looking that up. Usnea is another genus. It does not look like any of the terrestrial "reindeer lichens" in the genus Cladonia. Your lichen would normally grow draped over a tree branch. I suppose you could keep in alive on a branch in a terrarium. Problem is they don't do much of anything, they grow rather slowly, you almost can't tell if they are alive. They reproduce by fragmentation, mostly, or by spores, depending on species. The terrestrial species have a lot of interesting forms, make nice little " dish gardens" but it's impractical to propagate them.

Nikki, your package arrived today. Thank you so much! I didn't do a great job on the picture, but there are 2 packages of beautiful flower stickers, that pretty little notebook that includes a pen, several packets to indulge with beverages (non-alcoholic for all who are picturing otherwise - LOL) and that fantastic cup which I really like - a bright and happy color and such a good size. I often take a cool drink with me in the car on hot days - also in the little baggies there are 2 kinds of anemone and a lily. You made me happy, Nikki. Thanks so much! I hope everyone at your house is starting to feel better. Jeanne