One of Steve Correale’s hybrids that we love and just had to name. We thought long and hard about a name and finally thought to name it for Steve’s late wife who passed away recently. Steve has inspired us with his Tillandsia hybrids and with being a great guy, an asset to the bromeliad society and a good friend to many. Steve was also a happily married man and he and his wife were together over sixty years. We figured that she deserved our thanks for helping Steve with his hobby and allowing us to enjoy his talents all these years. I asked Steve’s permission to name the plant after Bea and he said that he would be honored. 

Two outstanding parents; chiapensis x streptophylla both lend their best characteristics to this cross. Silvery all over with a pinkish tint, bulbous based with a short scape with long silver branches and bracts that blush pinkish at anthesis. Broad leaves of heavy substance make this a heavy and substantial plant. Note that this plant is different from the same cross by Dimmitt named ‘Royal Rene’.

A hybrid of (caput-medusae x balbisiana) definitely leaning more to the T. caput-medusae parent.  A bulbous base with long and twisting leaves that are more terete than flat. 

The inflorescence is a cluster of bright red branches on a short scape.  The plant is silvery with trichomes, but has a reddish blush in strong light and at anthesis. 

Tillandsia 'Redy' (streptophylla x concolor) acquired from Paul Isley. A large, colorful blooming Tillandsia that was named to honor Rainforest Flora retail nursery manager, Redy Bond. This is a stunning hybrid that was originally made by Dr. Mark Dimmitt. The numerous leaves often form a circular, windmill pattern. A real “stunner” as the Aussies would say. 

Budded as of 05/06/2024

We received these plants as straight Tillandsia seleriana but quickly realized there was something different about them. After further research we have decided the plant to be Tillandsia 'Selerepton', a hybrid of Tillandsia seleriana x streptophylla. Our plants grow to about 12 inches in height before blooming. 

Budded as of 05/06/2024

A cultivar of the cross (‘Houston’ x leonamiana) by Paul Isley. A large growing beauty that exceeds the size of either parent plant, with many more leaves and a larger inflorescence. Very leafy, with literally hundreds of narrow, silvery leaves in a full rosette. The inflorescence has rose bracts and white flowers and is stunning. This is a truly spectacular plant that deserves its name! 

A beautiful, giant growing form of this spectacular red-blushing Central American species. Normally about 6 inches across, this form easily reaches 12 inches or more! The leaves are green until anthesis and then blush bright red, which lasts for some weeks, then slowly fades back to green. A sub-mesic species that enjoys a bit more moisture than many of the gray leaved types.

Plants are budded as of 05/06/24

A very nice species from Central America that for years went in the trade as paucifolia (or circinnata) 'Pink Form', that is until it was given scientific treatment and was declared a new species in its own right. Bulbous based with twisting, terete leaves and a nice clear pink inflorescence, this is an easy to grow, colorful, must have species for all Tillandsia lovers.

Budded as of 05/06/2024

A natural hybrid of (flexuosa x funckiana) that we collected in Venezuela in the late 1990’s. This plant is from a completely different area than the one described by Gouda in 2002, but it likely would be considered the same taxa. Our plant is from the state of Carabobo on the old road from Valencia to Puerto Cabello, a long distance from the Merida locality of the other. We found ours growing on a rock, in light forest in partial shade. The Tillandsia flexuosa and funckiana in this area are quite different looking than the ones near Merida which is much higher in altitude and much drier.

An interesting plant with long, stiff leaves along a caulescent stem, silvery green in color, clump forming. The inflorescence is a thin scape no higher than the foliage, with large flowers of deep rose red that are tubular with flaring petals that recurve at the tips. A very interesting plant that leaves no doubt about its hybrid origins.