Tuesday, May 14, 2019

Visiting Airplant Alchemy, during the Bromeliad Summit

The last stop on the Bromeliad Summit itinerary was Airplant Alchemy.

They're a wholesale growing operation, but with a showroom that serves as a retail outlet.

In addition to tillandsia (air plants) they appear to grow other bromeliads and orchids.

There were several nice displays...

Although personally I found the orchids on display a bit gaudy.

I couldn't decide if this was for a wedding or a funeral.

Ah, it's better when the Tillandsia xerographica are allowed to stand on their own, no orchids.

There was a lot of shopping going on.

But the prices were a bit higher than what I was willing to pay. How is it that tillandsia are less expensive in Portland than at a grower in Santa Barbara?

The highlight of this stop was when a few of us were invited to leave the retail showroom to explore the propagation area. That's where the rest of these photos were taken...

Tillandsia curtains!

Yes, the plants in this flat are "enhanced" (painted)...(WHY!!!???!!!)

Finally, I found the cast-off table.

I really wanted this bromeliad. It reminds me of the Vriesea saundersii at the Amazon Spheres.

Stripes or dots? Stripes and dots?

This doesn't look promising. Plugs destined for the compost heap?

Under the table...

Well, that's it! (for Airplant Alchemy, I still have a few Bromeliad Summit stops to share with you....)

Weather Diary, May 13: Hi 73, Low 50/ Precip 0

All material © 2009-2019 by Loree Bohl for danger garden. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited and just plain rude.

18 comments:

  1. PAINT! I'm horrified. I ran to check on my little red Tillandsia and I believe I've been had. Sigh. A beginner's error. Stripes AND dots then?

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    1. Yikes! So sorry. At least the stripes and dots on the bromleiad were natural, but I've seen stripes painted on tillandsia, candy-cane style.

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  2. Wow, the production area is amazing - all those plants! My favorite is the flowering ball - so pretty.

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    1. A friend gave me one of those balls (a similar one) a few years ago. I had a horrible time keeping it happy.

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  3. Wedding/funeral - six of one; half a dozen of the other... The growing area is amazing & I'm glad you (and we) got to see that part too.

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    1. Ha! Excellent point...(six of one; half a dozen of the other)

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  4. Isn't everything more expensive in Santa Barbara? Also, that last photo: how can the outside be so bleak when indoors it's amazing and lush?

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    1. Ya, you're probably right. It just seems like "at the source" should always be cheaper!

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  5. I think Alan hit the nail on the head. Everything is more expensive in Santa Barbara. Even though this wasn't in a fancy part of town.

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  6. 'Wedding and a funeral' I had to laugh at that caption. Sometimes styling falls flat ! that propagation area though-wow.

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    1. Did you see Peter's reply? Wedding/funeral - six of one; half a dozen of the other... (haha)

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  7. Even at so-called wholesale outlets, Tillandsias are ridiculously expensive down this way. That may be the best production growing area I've seen yet, though (with the exception of the paint-enhanced specimens).

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    1. There were so many beauties, yes, with the exception of the painted ones.

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  8. Wow, what a display of great plants. Since most of those things won't live outdoors here, we never see displays like that.

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    1. They won't live outdoors here either, but they're still very popular. Most people keep them inside, like houseplants.

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  9. AnonymousMay 15, 2019

    Little Prince has us spoiled. I quite like the stark black and white displays, but you're right: the orchids were a bit much.
    rickii

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  10. What FUN!! I should blog surf more often. Great balls of dripping tillandsias! But ugh--the painted ones...made me suspect all their red things thereafter. Am I the lone one here who likes the orchids? Pretty dreamy. (Minus the bright foliage.) Thanks for the tour!

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