This is a very nice plant that we collected in back in the 1990’s near El Cameron, Oaxaca, Mexico at an altitude of 4,600 feet. It was an obvious hybrid and the only possible parents were both growing in the same area; T. fasciculata ‘Lithophytic Form’ and ionantha v. stricta.

The plant was a single clump of three plants growing lithophytically (see photo taken in the wild) and we took the larger plant. Over the years this plant has developed into a real beauty, similar to ‘Nidus’ (another fasciculata x ionantha hybrid from Veracruz) but distinctly different. 

It has soft but firm leaves in an upright rosette, somewhat caulescent, about 12 inches long, with a short scape with clustered branches that rises about two to three inches. The bracts are red and flowers blue. The foliage blushes red but the scurf on the leaves make them appear pink. No cultural problems under ‘normal’ Tillandsia culture.

A naturally occurring hybrid of (streptophylla x caput-medusae) found in Guatemala from time to time. A good combination of both parents. More slender than streptophylla with more terete leaves, but thicker and larger than caput-medusae. The inflorescence is branched and pinkish. Very graceful looking, vigorous and easy to grow.

C.I.T.E.S. - The xerographica parent makes this plant ineligible for shipping outside of the U.S. Sorry!

This is a magnificent large grower that we imported from Guatemala back in 1992 is, apparently, a natural hybrid of (xerographica x aff. capitata). Although this is the same suspected cross as ‘Rio Hondo’ it is certainly very different. The ‘Rio Hondo’ has the look of the aff. capitata parent, with broad, curling, blushing scape bracts and a capitate head. In keeping with the recommended naming of natural hybrids after their collection locality (when known) we are calling this one ‘El Rancho’.

Our ‘El Rancho’ has the general appearance of the xerographica parent, with wide, deeply channeled, stiff, curling leaves and a tall scape with long and slender scape bracts. The inflorescence has many branches, narrow and mostly upright in a tight cluster and has a slight pinkish blush. The blue flowers are exceptionally long and exerted. This plant is also part of the collection at the Marie Selby Botanical Gardens, with an accession number of SEL1992-0266.

A suspected natural hybrid of (aeranthos x bergeri) that turned up in a shipment of bergeri from Argentina many years ago. A caulescent plant with stiff, gray leaves on a 6 inch stem, branching freely and forming large clusters. 

The inflorescence is a 3 to 4 inch long scape with deep rose pink bracts and dark, inky blue flowers. There are other Tillandsias of the same cross, but this one is quite different, deserving its own name.

A hybrid by Mark Dimmitt, named and registered by Bill Timm. This clone of (concolor x streptophylla) is one of our favorites! It has a somewhat bulbous base and leaves that recurve downward in a sweeping arc. The leaves are stiffer than streptophylla and more lepidote than concolor. The inflorescence is shaped like concolor, but fuller, lanceolate and branched, pink with silver dusting. 

This cross was genius, or maybe dumb luck, but at any rate it ended up fantastic. A cross of (fasciculata x flagellata) by Chester Skotak, it blends two of the best Tillandsias out there. Ecuadorean T. flagellata is itself a gem, with many narrow, soft leaves in a gracefully arching rosette. The inflorescence is brilliant red. This hybrid takes all the best of that species and blends it with the vigor of fasciculata and the robust bloom of both. Beautiful but slow, but like all good things, worth waiting for. 

An interesting an unusual cross of (chlorophylla x fasciculata) by Bill Timm. A colorful and robust hybrid with the foliage of the fasciculata parent, and an inflorescence heavily influenced by the chlorophylla parent. The resulting cross is much more robust and easy to care for than the chlolophylla which is a more mesic plant. This one is more xeric in nature and thrives in ‘normal’ Tillandsia culture. 

The foliage is long and slender in a gracefully arching rosette shape and is silvery with trichomes. The inflorescence is a tall scape with ten or more glossy red branches and long bracts which are more leaf-like and grayish. The flowers are long and tubular, two-tone white and purple.

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.

This attractive Mark Dimmit hybrid is a cultivar of (stricta x gardneri). Grows to about 8 inches across with many rather narrow, soft, silvery leaves. The inflorescence has pink bracts. An easy to grow plant that is also a good pupper. 

Tillandsia 'Fiesta' is a pretty cross of streptophylla x caputmedusa.

A cross of (Tillandsia capitata ‘Yellow’ x ionantha 'Druid') by Chester Skotak is a hybrid of exceptional merit. Unusual and pretty, it has upright growth as is typical with ionantha crosses, but with a capitate inflorescence that blushes brilliant red with many blue flowers for a spectacular display. A very dense and heavy plant reaching about 12 inches tall in a many-leaved upright rosette.