Jim Irvin’s cultivar of (ionantha v. vanhyningi x caputmedusae ‘Red form’) shows some characteristics of both parents. Overall it is most similar to the caput-medusae parent with a somewhat bulbous base and narrow leaves flaring outward. The leaves are semi-terete but do not contort like caput-medusae often does. 

The ionantha v. vanhyningii aspect comes through in the inflorescence which is a short scape of tight branches and rosy red bracts. At anthesis the upper leaves blush reddish and in bright light they can be reddish most of the time.

An Australian hybrid of (concolor x ionantha) by Margaret Paterson. A robust plant with many stiff, pointed leaves in an 8 to 10 inch rosette. The leaf color is light green with a dusting of silvery trichomes. There is no color blush at anthesis in spite of the ionantha parentage, but rather it produces a very short but very full and branchy inflorescence with red bracts and bluish-purple flowers.

A choice, easy to cultivate plant. 

A unique miniature Neoregelia by Devonshire from New Zealand is a cultivar of (Exotica Misty Pink x Tiger Cub) x Ritzy Tiger. The color is gold with a hint of green and the leaves have distinct longitudinal lines of red, and red marbled cross-bands. The plant needs bright filtered light for its best color. Its stoloniferous habit makes it a good candidate for a hanging basket.

*VIPP plants are Offsets

A nice species from Minas Gerais, Brazil. Open rosettes of relatively soft, 3/4 inch wide leaves with moderate marginal spines are coppery colored, glabrous above and somewhat scurffy below. Very colorful with a bright yellow inflorescence. Produces offsets on slender, 6 inch stolons. A rarely seen species.

An accidental hybrid, probably made by hummingbirds visiting a greenhouse, is almost certainly a cross of (balbisiana x pseudobaileyi). This plant occurred amongst a group of seedlings of Tillandsia balbisiana supplied by a South American nurseryman. The shape of the plant is rather classic balbisiana in all aspects including size. The leaves though are semi-terete and have the striping like the T. pseudobaileyi. 

The inflorescence is like balbisiana in shape and size but has the color of pseudobaileyi. One can never be sure of such a cross, but in my experience I have never seen a hybrid that appeared as obvious as this one. A very striking plant.

Tillandsia fasciculata 'Hondurensis' x capitata 'Yellow' SC

A nice plant by Steve Correale with an open rosette, blushing to almost red when in bloom. Leaves are bright green with some scurffing, slightly curved. The inflorescence has yellow branched spikes and pink flower tubes.

A nice plant that resembles a small N. cruenta in shape and coloration. Stiff, light green leaves with red tips form 8 to 10 inch funnel form rosettes on short stolons. A ‘thumb print’ marks the base of the leaf.

*VIPP plants are Offsets - NOT the mature plant in the photo

A Mark Dimmitt hybrid is a cultivar of (aeranthos x ‘Houston’). It resembles the species stricta, with stiff, narrow, green leaves in a bushy rosette. A nice clump forming plant that has contrasting pink bracts and blue flowers on its inflorescence. 

Bill Timm’s hybrid of Tillandsia ionantha ‘Druid’ x ionantha v. vanhyningii, looks pretty much like a large vanhyningii. If this plant had turned out with a yellow blush instead of red, more like the ‘Druid’ parent, then this would have been a show stopper. But alas it isn’t yellow, but it is still a very nice, compact and colorful plant as you can see by the photo. 

A selfing of an outstanding miniature Aloe hybrid. It superficially resembles the ‘Doran Black’ with similar coloration. The main difference is the growth habit, more upright than the parent plant, with slightly narrower leaves and more leaves, in an upright rosette. The inflorescence is quite long, 18 inches or so and nodding. The flowers are dark pinkish red, tubular bell shaped with white tips to the petals. Keep in a well draining mix and in warm, bright conditions.

This plant has a bit of a history before becoming Tillandsia ‘Kashkin’. Having been collected in Bolivia some years ago by Michael Kashkin, it entered cultivation as simply Species Bolivia. Over the years as it passed from grower to grower, it went by ‘Caulescent jucunda’, ‘Fragrant Flower Bolivia’, and ‘Inca Gold’. Eventually Derek Butcher of Australia did the footwork to determine that the plant is likely a natural hybrid. Of what exactly is not known.

It is a slightly caulescent plant with stiff, narrow, silvery leaves, and a slightly branched inflorescence bearing large, yellow, very fragrant flowers. Easy to grow, it forms nice clusters and likes bright conditions and good air circulation.

This plant has not yet been published but has been in cultivation for a while under the name of Tillandsia cocoensis.

In correspondence with Eric Gouda he says that this plant is most likely a form of T. tenuifolia and will likely be published as T. tenuifolia var. cocoensis by Renate Ehlers, hopefully in the near future. It was discovered growing on the cliffs of Morro do Coco in Rio de Janeiro state, Brazil where it forms mats of plants with procumbent stems and stiff, silvery leaves. The flowers are slightly violet-white, borne on a short red scape with bright red bracts.

A cute and easy to grow species that blooms faithfully. Our plants came originally from the collection of the Marie Selby Botanical Gardens with the accession number of SEL91-0099A.