December 2011 in the Southern Hemisphere

[Lesley Cox]

Well done Bill and Willy. I wish you both many more happy years to come.

Just a quick side question, Among all those magnificent blue flowers on the Puya, what are the green things sticking out from among them? Are they further side stems still to open?

[Lesley Cox]

And be of good cheer. I'm told in an email this morning that at 65 (let alone 75) if I wake in the morning and every joint in my body isn't aching, I'm probably dead.

[Tecophilaea King]

Well done Bill and Willy. I wish you both many more happy years to come.

Just a quick side question, Among all those magnificent blue flowers on the Puya, what are the green things sticking out from among them? Are they further side stems still to open?

Lesley, the short answer is yes, the terminal branching will gradually produce more flowers from the base up the side stems as you will see when I take another picture again some times later.
Puya alpestris has erect or widely spreading rosettes of linear leaves with coarse marginal spines that tend to tear rather than scratch. These spines are presumed to be a defence against browsing animals.  
The flowers also produce copious quantities of nectar as can be seen when our native bird the Tui (Prosthemadera novaeseelandiae) start feeding on the nectar, from a picture borrowed from the internet.

[Lesley Cox]

I saw this in flower at the Mt Tomah Botanic Garden in NSW a few years ago. It was in flower in Sept and there were a dozen or more of some kind of honey eater bird, absolutely wonderful. Of course that was the one day I forgot my camera!

[Anthony Darby]

I would have to grow it in a pot!

[Tecophilaea King]

I would like to thank everyone for their best wishes and support expressed on this happy occasion of our 50th golden wedding anniversary, very much appreciated.
Thank you for making our day so memorable.
Bill & Willy (Wilhelmina)

[Tecophilaea King]

Bill, what an elegant and beautiful Puya! (Not bad that Sprekelia either.) I have always dreamed of growing such plants in my garden since I visited Ecuador 10 years ago. Unfortunately I haven't found any that tolerates my climate yet. So how hardy do you think it is?

BTW congratulation with the first 50 years of marriage Think you understand what this means:
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Trond, thanks for your best wishes as well, the picture said it all, whatever the language.

I am not sure about your climate in Norway although they are hardy to about 20-25F. Generally in their native habitat they prefer dry arid places and gravelly soil.
Unlike most of the bromeliads, the species of Puya are strictly terrestrial. Perhaps you could try growing this plant in the glass-house.
Anyway, you would be more than welcome to try some seed later when available.  

[Hoy]

Well, Bill, nobody is sure of the climate of Norway nowadays. Usually the climate where I live is wet, humid and not too cold (so far the coldest night has been -3C and I've had only 3 nights with freezing temps. (It is much colder elsewhere.)

I would like to try some seeds, thank you!

[Anthony Darby]

I found this cute wee, mat-forming, white flowered plant at Elm Park School, Gossamer Drive. It's growing amongst taro!

[Lesley Cox]

Yeah, I know it. Can't think of name. Maybe  begins with S. It makes a mat like Pratia. There's a blue one too which can be bought in hanging baskets in garden centres down here sometimes.

[David Nicholson]

taro???

[Anthony Darby]

Yup. Leaves a lot of space underneath. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taro

[David Nicholson]

Ta.

[fermi de Sousa]

Yeah, I know it. Can't think of name. Maybe  begins with S. It makes a mat like Pratia. There's a blue one too which can be bought in hanging baskets in garden centres down here sometimes.

Are you thinking of Scaevola, Fan Flower, Lesley?
cheers
fermi

[Anthony Darby]

It is definitely Scaevola. Thanks for the detective work. Too small to be Scaevola albida, but surely it can't be S. hookeri?