This is a very odd hybrid that doesn’t much resemble either parent. Assuming that the reported cross is correct, the plant does not have the thick leaves of either parent, the long stem or curled leaves of duratii or an inflorescence resembling either parent in any way. The flowers are large, spreading and light blue, borne on a tall scape with green bracts. The foliage is silvery, stiff, straight and forms a leafy rosette. Whether this hybrid is correctly identified remains a question, at least to me, but does not take away from the fact that this is a handsome plant.

A small lithophytic, clustering plant to about 2 inches, with short, stiff and rather succulent, dark gray leaves. Widely flaring, half inch pink flowers are borne on a short scape in small clusters. We’ve seen grapefruit sized clusters of this species growing on rocky cliffs in Bolivia, covered with pink flowers. In cultivation it enjoys growing mounted and kept in bright light with good air circulation. Allow to dry quickly after watering.

A nice hybrid by Jim Irvin that unfortunately he never named nor registered. Using two South American species native to warm to hot arid regions. Tillandsia babuagrandensis is a species with a simple inflorescence of pinkish red from Peru in the region of Bagua Grande in the state of Amazonas and the didisticha is a handsome species from Bolivia and Argentina with a branched pink inflorescence.

The cross has many short, stiff, pointed leaves with a coating of silver trichomes. The inflorescence is a tall spike with on or two upright branches, red with silver trichomes giving it a pinkish coloration. Easy to grow, pups well and does best in bright light, mounted.

Tillandsia balbisiana The Florida form of this wide ranging species that occurs from Florida, the Caribbean down through Mexico and Central America and Northern South America. The Florida form tends to grow in open woods and cypress swamps from twigs in the full sun to shaded hammocks. An elongated bulbous base formed by the leaves that constrict before flaring out to an open but few leaved rosette. The inflorescence is tall, branched and lacquer red. An easy and rewarding species to grow.

A species of Bolivia that forms heavy clusters of plants with moderately stiff, tapering, channeled leaves that are coated on both sides with silvery trichomes. An inflorescence exceeds the length of the leaves and is a simple spike with a green rachis and reddish bracts (bright red in nature) and very large, spreading white flowers.

From the State of Santa Cruz, this species lives on both rocks and trees at altitudes of 3,000 to 5,000 feet. We have grown this species for years here in Florida and find it easy to cultivate. It likes bright light, but protect from mid day sun in cultivation.

A cluster of tapering leaves, silvery with heavy trichomes. The inflorescence is a simple spike of pink, dusted with silver, bearing white flowers. We collected this plant quite some years ago at a very high altitude, about 12,000 feet. They were growing on rocks in full sun and were coated with heavy dust from the nearby dirt road. We never expected this plant to survive in Florida, at sea level, but survive they did, and thrive. They are slow growing, but steady and healthy and long lived.

It’s hard to improve on Tillandsia brachycaulos, a pretty, easy to grow, green plant that blushes bright red when in bloom. But, growers are always looking for something better or at least different, and this clone has been judged to be ‘brighter red’ with noticeably narrower leaves. Whether it is better than the original or typical clone is a matter of conjecture and more to the point, in the eye of the beholder, but anyway it is a nice little show plant worthy of space in your collection.

An interesting and truly beautiful caulescent species from Paraguay with a very long stem bearing dozens of stiff, bronzy, 4 inch leaves. The inflorescence is a branching red spike with white flowers. We obtained our first specimen in the mid 1980’s from Prof. Dr. Werner Rauh, after he first described the species. We started with a single specimen and have released this plant periodically since. Easy to cultivate in bright light and good air circulation.

A beautiful yellow-blushing form with white flowers, that we found in Costa Rica back in 2002 on a trip along with Chester Skotak and Hiroyuki Takizawa. We do not have many, even after all this time. It’s a little slower to grow than the typical form, but is worth the wait. SEL2002-0299.

From Guatemala. This cute little plant about 4 inches tall has a bright green bulbous base and twisted, wiry leaves that blush bright red when blooming. The inflorescence is a short scape with red branches and deep blue flowers. Grow shaded and moist for best results. Forms attractive clumps, can be grown hanging from a string. A must for every Tillandsia fancier. Good for terrariums too.

A curious hybrid of cacticola ‘Splendid’ x duratii has some characteristics of both parents but really resembles neither. The plant forms an upright rosette of stiff, succulent leaves that taper to a curling tip. The inflorescence is upright, usually simple, dark purple with pale lavender flowers. Unusual.

The hybrid of (baileyi x ionantha) is both a hybrid by Mulford Foster and also occurs naturally in northern Mexico. Normally a cute miniature with short, 3 inch leaves in an upright, somewhat bottle-shaped rosette. This form is much larger, about double, and came from a wild collection in Tamaulipas, Mexico (SEL79-0005A) a number of years ago. Like the ‘normal form’ this one has an inflorescence that is a short simple scape with purple flowers and a reddish flush that extends to the upper leaves. This is just a more robust form.