This is a superior clone of the species that has been grown in cultivation from seed! This is a long and arduous process for any Tillandsia and especially such relatively slow species as these. A species supremely adapted to the harsh climate of the nearly rain free canyons of interior southern Ecuador and northern Peru.

The plants, resembling cotton candy, are covered with a heavy coat of silver trichomes giving them an otherworldly appearance. In nature the plants use their trichomes to capture minute amounts of moisture from dew and frequent fogs which provide their major source moisture.

The inflorescence is a spike with a cluster of pink branches and blue flowers. After blooming the plants produce a cluster of offsets at the base of the inflorescence. The plants require bright light, good air movement and little watering in cultivation. Maintain in bright light up to full sun, watering weekly is good but the plants must dry quickly. Do not allow them to remain wet for extended periods. 

A robust form of this caulescent species from Brazil grows to about 8 inches long but can exceed 12 inches. Stiff, reddish leaves make this a handsome species and it easily forms large clusters. The inflorescence has pink bracts and white flowers. Both an epiphyte and lithophyte in habitat, it does well mounted or simply suspended from a string or wire.

First it should be noted that there is no such thing as Tillandsia tomasellii officially. This taxa has been combined with xerographica and is for all practical purposes, that plant. However, it bears little resemblance to a ‘typical’ xerographica.

This plant more closely resembles Tillandsia fasciculata in general aspect, same basic shape, narrow, silvery leaves, etc. The inflorescence however does resemble xerographica, a tall, well branched spike of yellow. A possible hybrid? Maybe, but for now, we are keeping this plant with its old name.

By the way, our plants originated in Guatemala, not Oaxaca, Mexico where tomasellii was first found.

A rare, smaller relative of Tillandsia fasciculata from Jamaica, although our specimen sourced from the Marie Selby Botanical Gardens (SEL 1986-0480) came from the Dominican Republic via Luis Ariza-Julia. It is unknown where he got the plant. Very narrow, silvery-gray leaves in an upright rosette to about 7 to 8 inches with a multi-branched inflorescence of bright red with light blue flowers. A very attractive, rare, small species.

Budded as of 05/05/2025

Native Brazil to Bolivia and Argentina is a cascading plant with tiny green or grayish leaves on little stems. Clusters are handsome and produce little yellowish flowers. A widely variable species in the subgenus Diaphoranthema, it varies from very slight, wispy foliage to sturdy, fat stems that can hang to 12 inches or more. Our clone is from Bolivia and is one of the smaller forms that forms clusters and grows fairly rapidly. Grows naturally as a lithophyte or and epiphyte and enjoys good air circulation. Our clone is ‘growing wild’ in our shade houses where the seeds often germinate on the screens.

A unique species from Cuba where it lives on exposed limestone cliffs near Santiago de Cuba at about 1,000 feet of altitude. Related to capitata, it forms a somewhat bulbous base with stiff, glabrous leaves in a flaring, upright rosette with the leaves recurving sharply in a coil when grown bright or hard. The color varies with light and stage of growth but is green with a slight gray bloom when young and becomes yellowish with maturity, blushing pink in strong light.

At anthesis the inflorescence produces long scape bracts of yellow, ending in pink. The branches are mostly green and the tubular flowers purple-blue. Easy to grow mounted but slow growing and very cold tender.

This plant from Bolivia has a good possibility of being a new species. However, for now, we are offering it as a ’giant form’ of vernicosa, a species to which it is most similar. The leaves are very stiff and many in an 8 to 12 inch rosette, dark greenish bronze with a beautiful multi-branched inflorescence of pinkish orange with small white flowers. The colorful inflorescence lasts for several months. The regular form of this plant is 4 to 6 inches and by comparison this form is a true giant.

*VIPP plants are small size, not in bud

A beautiful, silvery plant in a leafy 10 inch rosette with a handsome, silver-dusted pink-orange inflorescence and white flowers. Resembles didisticha a little and is sometimes confused with pucaraensis. Our plants came originally from the collection of Dr. Werner Rauh years ago.

A natural hybrid of (utriculata x fasciculata) known from the U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico. Our plants originated on the island of St. John in the vicinity of Cinnamon Bay where the only two possible parents of this beauty occur side by side.

Taking the best of both parents, it has an inflorescence much larger and more branched than fasciculata, but much more colorful than utriculata. It does offset, though it may wait until the inflorescence is almost finished. Very rarely seen in any collections. We have two clones in our collection, and this one is by far the best.

A naturally occurring hybrid of brachycaulos x dasyliriifolia from Mexico, described by Ramirez & Carnivali. In our experience it is not a large plant, but rather upright growing to about 12 to 18 inches with fairly broad silvery-green leaves. The inflorescence is cylindrical to occasionally branched, with pinkish bracts and white flowers.

(SEL2000-0185)

A naturally occurring hybrid of (fasciculata x ionantha), this plant was originally described as a species. For some, this plant is Tillandsia 'Jalapa-Fortin' because of the road where it is often found in Veracruz, Mexico. A great plant however you name it. In general it looks like a very big ionantha, blushing red when it blooms and having a short to nonexistent scape of blue flowers.

*VIPP plants are small, not in bud/color