BLOOMING BROMELIADS Ulrich and Ursula Baensch
Tropic Beauty Publishers
November 1994
ISBN 0-9641056-0-8This book is a large sized, 9x11, 268 page, coffee table book. The entire book is packed with some of the most beautiful bromeliad photographs I've seen. It has been extensively researched, with Harry E. Luther and Robert W. Read, Ph.D. acting as taxonomic consultants.The first part of the book gives a bit of history about Tropic Beauty, what the Baensch's call their home in the Bahamas. This is followed by a section covering bromeliads in habitat with some excellent photo's. The next section starts with two maps giving the distribution of the family bromeliaceae in the New World and includes a concise discussion of the botany and biology of bromeliads
The sections that follow are the heart of the book. They are divided into the three subfamilies, Bromelioideae, Pitcairnioideae, and Tillandsioideae. Each section starts by giving information on culture, and other distinquishable features unique to that subfamily. From there they break things down into each genra within that subfamily, again starting each section with a discussion of culture, etc. Each photograph is accompanied by a short discussion of the plant, giving information as to size, culture, habit and any other pertinent information. This is followed by a few lines about where the species is found naturally.
The book continues with several chapters on many aspects of bromeliad cultivation. They are; "Frogs and Bromeliads", "Culture and Propagation", "Care of Tillandsias", "Hybridization of Bromeliads", "Diseases and Pests", "Packing and Shipping", and "Bromeliads in House and Garden". Each chapter is packed with information that can be useful to both the hobbyist and the professional.
The next two chapters, "Meaning of Plant Names" and "Glossary of Botanical Terms" are interesting. The former being very complete and gives one who is not fluent in Latin, a sense of why plants get the names they do. The glossary is a bit short but still informative.
The final chapter, "Buds and Blooms", is an epilog of sorts. It is an expression of the care and love that went into creating this magnanimous work. This chapter is followed by a brief bibliography and the index.
Get this book while you can, it is worth every penny!
Reviewed by Rusty Luthe.
