BIHRMANN´S COLLECTION thrugh the years

I have had plants for many years, collecting different types. At my present home, I only have a limited room, and when I had a huge collection, the plants has to be cut back through the summer, and especially in the autumn. Then, most of them was placed in green plastic-boxes and put in a dark corner in my living-room. This prevented my living-room from being to damp in wintertime. Now, my collection only consists of a few but very special plants, but due to my travelling for extensive periods, they are made to be simple to maintain.

When I had the huge caudiciform collection, they were taken out from dormant quarter the first of April, and I started to water. Some had already started growing, others are slow starters. When I'm re-potted, it was usually to smaller pots! Some of the older plants was getting close to bonsai. The windows are facing west. I guess south would have been better, but it works. The pots was glazed clay, looking good, easy to clean but it doesn't let any air in for the roots. Not good, but it worked.

The first couple of years, I had a air-humidity around 100%. Lost some plants because of that. Then I bought a de-humidity-device, got the humidity down to 45-50%, and then I lost some other plants. It aren't easy to grow from seeds any more either. BUT: The wall-paper are no longer green and black, my health is better and my girl-friend didn't complain about her shoos turning green and fluffy.

Recent years, I have been working in South Africa for half a year and in Copenhagen Botanical Garden, and most of my collection have been donated to the botanical garden. The few remaining plants are grown in stainless steel containers with my version of self-watering. I try to avoid Denmark at wintertime, and the plants are forced into dormancy. Works fine, and now I can see the world outside my windows!

2003. The collection is growing fast. Extra window sills are needed.

Spring 2003 in window 1.

Spring 2003 in window 2.

Summer 2003 and a bit crammed. W1

Only two rows - yet... W2

Left unattended for a month, and you got a mess! W2

Winter storage. Can't get light enough, and the humidity are getting above 100% if they are aloud to grow.

2004. The envelope is pressed!

Window 1, early summer 2004.

Window 2, early summer 2004.

Window 3 out of 2!, early summer 2004.

2006. Reduced to one or two members of each family. On the other hand; I still find new families...

Window 1, spring 2006.
Rikke and some of the plants have moved...

Window 2, spring 2006.
-and many more has come

Window 3 out of 2!, spring 2006.

Window 1, summer 2006.
Again this year, it seems a bit crammed.

Window 2, summer 2006.
But then again: Here are 87 different families

Window 3, summer 2006.

Winter 2006. This is not for the fainthearted: Due to my half year in South Africa, I had to put all my plants into the Botanical Garden of Copenhagen.

2007. Returning from Africa, I choose only to have a few plants, the rest donated to Copenhagen Botanical Garden. Now, I only have five huge caudiciforms and the Taxonomy Collection.

Summer 2007. A slightly change in the type and amount of plants, after the half year in South Africa.

2008. Start the year with a complete Taxonomy Collection, but cut down to the five huge caudiciforms and a mixed pot during the summer.

Early summer 2008. Only 7 pots to maintain: Two Taxonomy Collection and five huge caudiciforms. Kind of get enough working in Copenhagen Botanical Garden...

The Taxonomy Collection - just before it got slaughtered.

Kedrostis africana, Dioscorea mexicana, [Podocarpus falcatus, Isoetes lacustris, Xanthorrhoea quadrangulata, Welwitschia mirabilis], Fockea edulis, Stephania venosa and Pyrenacantha malvifolia.
Summer 2008. Only 6 pots to maintain - at home.

2009 Not much new this year, but some details from the mixed 17 centimetre pot:

This small caudiciform is, I believe, a Avonia dinteri.

Worlds smallest bulb: Drimia uniflora

I'm was not sure what it is, but something seem to grow fast below .
Was flat two months ago, now it is raised four centimeters.
Turned out to be the Kedrostis seedling.

The tall grass-like one is Xanthorrhoea quadrangulata, with a small "home bred" Kedrostis africana.

Nice Tillandsia ionantha, which get some nice purple flowers.

One of the easiest plants: Welwitschia mirabilis. Got it as seed.

This is an Avonia, but is it Avonia dinteri? Does not look like the other above.

Avonia papyracea, growing several centimetres in two months.

Ever flowering - and spreading Dorstenia foetida.

The huge Kedrostis africana, Dioscorea mexicana, Fockea edulis, Stephania venosa and Pyrenacantha malvifolia looks like last year.

2010. After eight months in Ecuador, Indonesia and Galapagos, my caudiciforms are taken out of dormancy 13/5 - and look as usual.

Two new members of my collection: Cyclamen hederifolium - flowering during winter time - they told me. Ø=20 centimetres.

An Indonesian ant fern: Lecanopteris carnosa, added to the mixed pot.

The Avonia dinteri? flowers for an hour in a mid-June afternoon. I got seeds from it last year.

Both my Kedrostis africanas are flowering in abundance. Unfortunately, they are both males.

Even though it have been stored away in a dark closet, the Cyclamen hederifolium start flowering in late July, just as always.

The male Dioscorea mexicana start flowering in August. Not that impressive.

The Pyrenacantha malvifolia might flower, but not that impressive either. Sterile, minute fruits.

The male Stephania venosa is slightly more impressive - but not much.

And Fockea edulis is not much bigger.

August 2010. While working in a lab attached to Copenhagen Botanical Garden, I got the urge to challenge my gardener skills back, and started up my Taxonomy Collection once again. Pretty much the same plants as last - even some individual plants - but I chancing into the smallest members of each family. The entire 22 classes of Plantae stuffed together in two pots! Well, the Gingko and Gnetum still misses: I work on rooting them at work.

The wet pot contains Psilotum nudum, Equisetum arvense, Huperzia squarrosa, a new Isoetes velata, Berberis thunbergii, a new Taxus baccata, Azolla filiculoides, Selaginella kraussiana, Peperomia retusa and the five mosses: Andreaeopsida Anthocerotopsida, Bryopsida, Hepatopsida and Sphagnopsida.

The dry pot is stuffed with two Welwitschia mirabilis, Ephedra gerardiana, Stangeria eriopus, Gyrocarpus americanus, Avonia dinteri, Ginkgo biloba and Gnetum gnemon. A Dorstenia foetida, Avonia papyracea and Avonia sp. have joined the Taxonomy Collection.

Dioscorea mexicana Adding significantly to their caudex again this year. Pyrenacantha malvifolia.

Fockea edulis More controlled - they are big enough as it is! Stephania venosa.

2012. After five weeks in Vietnam, my Xanthorrhoea quadrangulata have died, and I decides to drop the Welwitschia mirabilis in the same pot. While it is still winter, the Kedrostis africana, Pyrenacantha malvifolia, Stephania venosa and strangely enough; the Cyclamen hederifolium are dormant. The Fockea edulis keeps the leaves, and the Dioscorea mexicana grow strongly.

First of April, the Pyrenacantha malvifolia is showing new strength: 26 vines, and a new sort of flowers: Now in clusters. The Stephania venosa and Kedrostis africana are watered for the first time, and the Dioscorea mexicana sets out a new branch along the old one. Even the Fockea edulis set out new vines.