Tillandsia Glenorchy
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Tillandsia Glenorchy
ionantha x seleriana, ~20cm high, by P. Paroz, Qld, 1989
(Registration document 10/2006)
| Dale Dixon 01/21 |
Gary May 07/24 |
Gary May 03/07/24 ... "I have a dilemma of mammoth proportions.
About 25yrs ago my neighbour Mark Southam and I visited Peter Paroz at his home in Nundah QLD. Peter had been the chemist working at Golden Circle a QLD company making everything pineapple related.
Peter was a very knowledgeable Tillandsia grower and hybridizer for many years. We eagerly purchased many rare Tills as we had just acquired 'the bug'.
As we were finishing up and nearly broke, I spotted a BRIGHT RED plant growing on his northern property fence.
"What the hell is that" ?
Peter said it was a hybrid that he had grown and was naming it Glenorchy (pronounced Glenorky). The name was the name of his brothers large property in QLD (?memory fuzzy)
Peter said that he wasn't absolutely certain of the parentage but surmised that it had to be seleriana X ionantha because he remembered crossing them.
We begged and scrounged an offset each.
The dilemma, 25 years later the plant 'Glenorchy' is registered with seleriana X ionantha as mum n dad.
The plant looks nothing like the beauty that we each scrounged and grew on.
If it's not Glenorchy then what ?
Does anybody still have contact with Peter Paroz. Any help would be appreciated."
Ed. ... "Could it be same plant but grown in a different climate such that it flowers before it can reach it's full height ?"
Gary May 05/07/24 ... "I tracked down Peter Paroz and spoke to him about the 'Glenorchy' that he created probably 30yrs ago.
He is very interested to see what I have and to see what is now registered.
If the plant that I have differs then I'll ask Peter to register a new name and I'll try to get DNA analysis of the plant and provide an up to date guesstimate of it's parentage.
My rough guess from the appearance is brachycaulos X ionantha. The plant has red leaves throughout life and fiery red at flowering.
This year I'll photograph all the various stages and I'll even purchase a pot for it to live in, ensuring full size.
I'll keep you posted."
Updated 29/07/24