Hanging a wall of bromeliads

I appreciate so much the Greenhouse staff for their ability to organize a group of student workers and volunteers - as I am. For example, when I arrived today there was a white board listing duties waiting to be performed. There is no need to stand around wondering what to do. Today my task was clearly outlined on the board: hang bromeliads.

Neoregalia hybrids (in the family of bromeliads)

My tasks listed in blue ink

Empty trellis, waiting to be filled with bromeliads

Located in the cool temperate 'cloud forest' room is a collection of bromeliads plants with the genus name of Neoregelia. They had been growing on the flat surface on one of the benches - as on a table top - occupying 50 square feet of bench space. That is a lot of bench space to devote to one plant genus. The proposed solution was to move the plants from a flat surface to hanging on a trellis in the same room.

My task began with moving plants to gain access the trellises. I then transferred clusters of bromeliads, a few at a time, to the trellis. I used zip ties to secure the aerial roots of the bromeliads to the metal trellis. I was able to hang only one-half of the collection because I ran out of time, and there weren't enough zip ties. More zip ties would have to be ordered to complete the project.

I experimented with one cluster of plants: I found a plastic mesh flat into which I cut a piece of coconut coir matt and fitted the matt to the bottom of the flat. Then I placed a cluster of the plants into the flat resting their aerial roots against the matt. I attached the roots to the plastic mesh by pushing the zip ties through the matt. Then I attached the flat vertically onto the trellis. The idea for the design was to allow water to soak into the matt and provide moisture for the plant, and an organic surface for the roots to grow against.

Ultimately we decided the experiment was over-engineered. The aerial roots would probably survive just fine on the trellis without the coconut coir matting. Most of the plants were secured to the trellis, hanging by their aerial roots, using zip ties only. I tried to angle the plants pointing up to help them retain water in their leaves when they get sprayed - which is daily.

Green bromeliads having been moved on to the trellis, red bromeliads are waiting to be hung.

Newly hung bromeliads

Bromeliads are a large family of plants which originated in tropical central America. There are 80 genera in the family, of which Neoregelia on only one. Other genera include those for epiphytic Tillandsia (air-plants) such as Spanish moss, and terrestrial plants such as pineapples which grow on the ground. Most are epiphytic, growing in the branches of trees, as does Neoregelia. There are thousands of hybrid species of a variety of patterns and colors.

Next week I'll be able to complete the tasks, if they haven't already been hung to make room on the benches where they had been growing.