Misnamed Bromeliads, N0. 9: Guzmania butcheri by Harry E. Luther in J Brom. Soc. 41(6): 256. 1991
The colorful Panamanian bromeliad shown on the front cover has been cultivated in this country as well as in Europe and, possibly, Australia for over twenty years. Guzmania butcheri was described by Dr. Werner Rauh in 1988 and named in honor of the expatriate American plant collector Henry Butcher of Vulcan, Panama. It was first introduced into horticulture, it appears, by Nat DeLeon, who also distributed material to Europe. Although it has persisted there as a minor crop, it has nearly disappeared in the United States. I last saw it offered in quantity from a foliage plant grower in Ohio in 1977. The first plant to be added to the research collection at Selby Botanical Gardens came from an Australian grower. Since then, we have received material from European and Californian growers as well as new field collections from Panama.
In the horticultural trade, this plant is usually misidentified as Guzmania bracteosa or Guzmania sanguinea var. brevipedicellata. With the former it shares little except yellow flowers and it differs from the latter by its fewer , narrower leaves and a few-flowered, spicate inflorescence.
Guzmania butcheri Rauh is easily grown if kept moist and warm (not hot); it is very sensitive to low temperatures. Most clones are self-pollinating and seedlings can be flowered in three years or less.
The photograph of Guzmania butcheri shown here was taken by Joseph A. Griffith, first place winner in the Marie Selby Botanical Gardens 1991 photographic contest.
