Well, thank you to the both of you for responding with such wonderful information and pointing out further sites for me to explore! I now am certain that I have a Vr. Splenriet who is producing two more pups in the center rosette. I was so excited about this that I went back to the store where I purchased this plant and bought another one who is producing three pups in the center cup. Fascinated by this but wonder how in the world to divide. You sure can not find much information on line about Vrieseas. I did find quite a bit of info. on aechmeas. I also ordered a book today that was recommended by the Hawaiin Bromelian Society for beginners. I am excited. I have a small green house attached to my house and I have collected orchids, Tillandisas and stag horn ferns for awhile but I am new to many of the other bromeliads other than Tillies. Paul I jumped over to your site-WOW-wonderful. I will spend some time tonight looking over your beautiful site. I love to read and research so if you have any good books to recomend or other sites to share, please let me know. I do not like to lose a plant so I really try to have all the info. I can on them. I live near Columbus, OH and I am fortunate to have a southern exposure sun room for my plants. I imagine like MI, we do not have a lot of sun shine in the winter. Before I had so many plants, I would more them around the room following the sun in the winter. Now I have too many to move but they do pretty good. We will see what happens this winter with all my new bromeliad purchases. I need to stop.....but just can not seem to say no...Thanks again to the both of you, Cat.

Well.... I don't know. I've never tried it. What I have tried is streamwater on my CP's. I had a bad reaction with my D. binata, but that may have been from the significant temperature disparity, rather than a nutrient issue. Personally, I wouldn't, but... The thing about CP's is that for the most part, they operate from a nutrient poor paradigm. That's why RO, rain, distilled, and deionized water are recommended. Tank water will have nutrients, but how much and how significant is difficult to discern.

Thank you Debrichard. My local agricultural agent said they'd send it away for typing, but I'd have to provide a sample roots and all and I'm waiting for it to spread a bit otherwise I'll destroy the plant just to ID it ;) . thanks again.

Yeah the photograph doesn't quite capture how strange it is. The leaves are very leathery. You could imagine it's a fern that quickly appears in the SW desert after rains and then disappears. Not sure if there really is such a thing or not.