"Neoregelia 'Purple Haze' is a medium to large plant, say 60 cm diameter, with leaves 8-9 cm wide, maintaining a purplish colour (#39 in Isley's chart) with a hazy covering. There is a hint of a reddish tip that is rounded and apiculate. The scape is 5 cm long and 1.5 cm wide, greenish white bracts, the uppermost becoming red lined. The pedicels are about 1 cm long . The inflorescence is simple. The floral bracts are similar to the upper scape bracts but narrower. The sepals are green with red lines, 3 cm long, slightly asymmetric but with a very long acuminate tip. This is sometimes bent and sometimes hooked. The petals are white with a pale violet platte.Why have I gone to the trouble to measure and detail parts of a hybrid? In the 1970's this plant got to Australia as Neoregelia fosteriana and was used to produce hybrids such as 'Fost Prince'. (See photo) However, when Smith and Downs (1979) was printed Olwen Ferris (A BSI Trustee here in Australia) realised that this plant did not have a compound inflorescence and could not be the TRUE Neoregelia fosteriana and called the plant 'Purple Haze'.
This plant has been known in the USA as Neoregelia fosteriana since at least 1973 because it was accurately described by Victoria Padilla in her book "Bromeliads" page 52. This must have been the plant that Foster used to produce 'Morris Henry Hobbs', 'Fosperior', 'Perfection' 'Dexter's Pride', 'Foster's Giant Red', etc. What is strange is that Foster was not aware what his own Neoregelia fosteriana was because he did not use it in at least these hybrids.
Neoregelia fosteriana has been shrouded in mystery for many years and an excellent article by Harry Luther appeared in the Brazilian Journal "Bromelia" in June 1995 page 5. This photo is from that article. In correspondence with Harry Luther it appears that Elton Leme cannot find living specimens in the area of Foster's original collection but did find Neoregelia chlorosticta and the newly described Neoregelia lactea (Compound inflorescence, hooked sepals - see Bromelia June 1995 page 8) growing in close proximity . Could Neoregelia fosteriana have been a natural hybrid between the two?
This does not solve our problem because we have a totally different looking plant which could be a hybrid that occurred in Foster's garden without him being aware of it. We know that the TRUE N. fosteriana is surviving in Florida in at least two collections in Florida. Its hybrid status could easily be confirmed by self set seed raising but I do not know who these lucky owners are OR if they are aware of the treasures they hold. Is the 'imposter foster' the next generation or does it have yet another father, albeit accidentally? I feel sure that the Padilla 'Fosteriana' is still alive in California - somewhere, I feel sure this plant is alive in Florida - somewhere!
If you are the curious type would you please check around and let us know whether hooked sepals are present on any of the plants you have that are mentioned in this article. By the way, I have given up trying to link this plant with a natural species!
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