BOOK REVIEWS AND SOURCES

1. Book reviews

A range of bromeliad books are reviewed here. The books cover a wide range of topics. Some are of general interest, while others are of more specialised interest.

Some points about the reviews:

• The main focus is on books that are at least partially written in English.
• They mainly cover books that have been published from 1995 onwards, although some older ones are reviewed.
• The comments are accurate at the year of the review (shown at the bottom of each review), but circumstances change over time. For example, a book which may provide the best coverage on a particular topic in 1995, may not do so by 2010.
• Some reviews discuss the relevance of information in the book on growing bromeliads. Growing conditions vary enormously around the world, and the reviewer’s comments focus on whether the book’s advice is relevant to people living in the sub-tropics. (This is where most of the Bromeliad Society of Queensland’s members live).

The best general introductory book is probably Bromeliads: A Cultural Manual. While this book is quite short, it provides a good overview.

If you would like some more detail on the characteristics of different types of bromeliads and their growing requirements, then there are two books which are well worth considering.

If you live in the sub-tropics or tropics, have a look at Starting with Bromeliads. For those who live in cooler climates, consider Bromeliads for the Contemporary Garden.

All three books can be purchased, by people living in Australia, from the Bromeliad Society of Queensland. (See “Book Sources” below).

We are always looking for more books to review. If you have published a book and would like us to review it please email: Book_Review@bromsqueensland.com

Bob Reilly is our book reviewer and has contributed all the reviews on this website.

2. Topics

a) Books covering a range of bromeliad topics

Introductory

• Bromeliads for the Contemporary Garden (by Andrew Steens)
• Bromeliads: A Cultural Manual (by Herb Plever and Joyce Brehm)
• Growing Bromeliads (compiled by the Bromeliad Society of Australia)
• Bromeliad Cultivation Notes (by Lyn Hudson)
• Bromeliads Under the Mango Tree
  

General

• Bromeliads (by Victoria Padilla)
• The Colourful Bromeliads: Their Infinite Variety (by Victoria Padilla)
• Blooming Bromeliads (by Ulrich and Ursula Baensch)
• The Book of Bromeliads and Hawaiian Tropical Flowers (by Ronald Parkhurst)
• Bromeliads: Next Generation (by Shane Zaghini)
• Searching for Miss Fortuna – The Hunt for a Bromeliad (by Chester Skotak)

Technical

• Bromeliads for Home, Garden and Greenhouse (by Werner Rauh)
• The Biology of the Bromeliads (by David Benzing)
• Bromeliaceae III (by Francisco Oliva-Esteve)
• Bromeliads (by Francisco Olive-Esteve)
• Jewels of the Jungle – Bromeliaceae of Ecuador – Part 1: Bromelioideae (by Jose manzanares)
• Jewels of the Jungle – Bromeliaceae of Ecuador – Part 2: Pitcairnioideae (by Jose Manzanares)
• A Blomeliad Glossary (compiled by Pamela Koide)
• Bromeliaceae of Venezuela (by Francisco Oliva-Esteve and Julian Steyermark)
• Bromeliaceae: Profile of an Adaptive Radiation (by David Berzing)
• Bromeliads – The Connoisseur’s Guide (by Andrew Steens)
• Fragments of the Atlantic Forest of Northeast Brazil: Biodiversity, Conservation and the Bromeliads (by Elton Leme)
• Mountain Plants of Venezuela: The Coastal Range, The Andes and the Tepuis (by Francisco Olive Esteve)
• The Native Bromeliads of Florida (by Harry Luther and David Benzing)
• Pitcher Plants of the Americas (by Stewart McPherson)
• Bromeliads in the Brazilian Wilderness (By Elton Leme)
• Margaret Mee’s Amazon: Diaries of an Artist Explorer (by Margaret Mee)
  

b) Ananas (Pineapple)

General

• The Pineapple: Botany, Production and Uses (Edited by D.P. Bartholomew and others)

c) Canistropsis

Technical

• Canistropsis: Bromeliads of the Atlantic Forest (by Elton Leme)

d) Canistrum

Technical

• Canistrum: Bromeliads of the Atlantic Forest (by Elton Leme)

e) Nidulariums

Technical

• Nidularium: Bromeliads of the Atlantic Forest (by Elton Leme)
  

f) Taxonomy

Technical

• Flora Neotropica, Monograph No. 14 (by Lyman Smith and Robert Downs)
• The Bromeliaceae of Brazil

g) Tillandsias

General

• Tillandsia (by Paul Isley)
• New Tillandsia Handbook (by Hideo Shimizu and Hiroyki Takizawa)
• Tillandsia II

Technical

• The Red Flowered Tillandsias from Brazil (by Renate Ehlers)
• A Distributional Check List of the Genus Tillandsia (by Lloyd Kiff)
• Les Tillandsia et Les Racineae (by Albert Roguenant)
• The Tillandsia Tectorum Complex (by Lieselotte Hromadnik)
• The Green-Blooming Small Grey Tillandsias from Mexico (by Renate Ehlers)

3. Book Sources

Few bromeliad books are available in general bookstores. The following sources stock a range of bromeliad books. Please contact them to determine price, availability and related matters.

• Bromeliad Society of Queensland
  see point 4. below
• Florilegium
• Anwyl Bromeliads
• Bromeliad Society International
• Tropiflora
• Rainbow Gardens Book Shop

Bromeliad books can sometimes also be bought through “on line” sources such as ebay.

4. Bromeliad Society of Queensland Bookstore.

The publications we currently have for sale are listed below:

Title Price *
Bromeliads for the Contemporary Garden $36.00
Bromeliads – The Connoisseur’s Guide $36.00
Bromeliads: A Cultural Manual $5.00
The Green Blooming Small Grey Tillandsias from Mexico $40.00
Bromeliads: Next Generation $33.00
Starting with Bromeliads $18.00
Pitcher Plants of the Americas $60.00
Judges Handbook $34.00
Back copies of Bromeliaceae (2006 – only a few copies left) $4.00

* Please Note: Postage and Package is extra

Unfortunately, we are unable to accept orders for locations outside of Australia.

If you are interested in purchasing a book, please telephone: Mrs Evelyn Rees
(07) 3355 0432