At that time there was a somewhat one-way traffic of hybrids from Grace Goode in Queensland and we just had to send her a plant to show what we could do. It was sent under the name of Neoregelia 'Barbara' seed from USA seed bank.
As our experience grew we realised that you cannot grow seed from a hybrid and use the same name! We were really growing 'Barbara's daughter and she needed a name. We decided on 'Barbie Doll' which has wide yellowish-green leaves with red tips and the whole centre turns red at flowering. A very distinctive clone.
The BCR 1998 shows Neoregelia 'Barbara' as a hybrid of US origin, parents unknown but its picture is in Golinski's Video 1997. Interestingly, Keith Golinski (from Queensland) must have got his plant from Grace Goode many years ago because it has all the trademarks of the South Aussie 'Barbie Doll' and should be known as this. The weather in Adelaide is much different to the Brisbane area and plants do look different because of this. so we are showing you photographs by Keith Golinski and us South Aussies for comparison purposes.
Neoregelia 'Barbara' must be around in the USA somewhere in some forgotten corner but she was a good Mother - once!"
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