A tropical jewel from Central America, has needle-fine 3 inch green leaves on a base the size of a jaw breaker. Delicate lilac flowers are borne on a branched purple inflorescence.  Tillandsia filifolia is found throughout Mexico and Central America. In Belize it has a limited range, being restricted to the pine forests of the Maya Mountains where it enjoys the breezy, cool conditions. Found at altitudes over 500 feet, it, however does well at sea level and is now a staple item in the bromeliad trade, being propagated in large quantities. Til. filifolia resembles a little sea urchin with a marble-sized base and stiff, hair-fine leaves to three inches long. The inflorescence is purple, up to six inches tall and branched. Enjoys bright shade and humid conditions.

A cross made by Steve Correale is not only unusual, but really does not strongly resemble either of the parent plants. The foliage is broad, channeled and tapers to a fine point, much like a typical T. fasciata, which should be familiar to many. Tillandsia foliosa has softer, green foliage and the leaves of concolor are much smaller and narrow but stiff. The inflorescence is erect with a cluster of glossy, deep red-burgundy branches. Scape bracts are very long and leaf-like and the floral bracts are broad and much shorter. A handsome, unusual plant.

A three inch ball of silvery needles with a bright orange, six inch bloom spike. That about sums up this beautiful Mexican miniature Tillandsia from southwest Mexico. Native to medium altitudes in semi-arid, deciduous forests, this plants loves bright light and breezy conditions. Ageotropic, it can grow in any direction and is often found growing upside down in nature. This species used to be quite common in the trade, but when Mexico closed down to collecting some years back, only captive-bred plants are available and this is not noted to be a fast grower. Easy to cultivate, best mounted.

Native to the Andes of Venezuela, this cliff dweller is one of the jewels of the genus. A caulescent plant forming large clumps in just a few years, has fine, needle-like leaves about 3/4 inch long which flush red when blooming. The flower is a single, red, slightly flaring tube. A clump in bloom is a sight to behold! Flowers at various times throughout the warm months. A must for any collection, simply hang from a wire, grow it bright, water and fertilize frequently, allow to dry quickly.

This is a form of this lithophytic species from Venezuela that grows to nearly 10 inches tall, or at least generally larger than most other clones. Other than that it is typical, needle like ¾ inch long leaves on a long stem, silvery green, tinting red in good light and blushing deep red at the crown near anthesis. Flaring, tubular flowers are bright red.

This is a clone we acquired from Eloise Beach that makes fluffy, reddish-orange clumps, and has the longest leaves of all the funckiana clones we have.

A robust form of this variable Venezuelan species.   The cultivar name ‘Marron’ means brown in Spanish, but we do not see any brown in this plant.  Perhaps it had a brownish appearance in nature.  We have observed this plant at several locations in habitat and know that the plants vary quite a lot. 

A cliff dweller that grows on rocks in full sun, in cultivation it will form a large cluster even to several feet across with time.  Very nice, short, needle thin leaves that tint reddish in bright light and at anthesis.  Flowers are blood red.

A very orange-blushing clone of Tillandsia funckiana from the collection of Herb Hill.  We don’t know much else about it but as with all T. funckiana, it’s a species from Venezuela that grows on bare rock on exposed cliffs.  The blooms are brilliant crimson and appear in winter.  It, like all other T. funckiana, forms large clusters over time.  A superb clone.

A robust form of Tillandsia funckiana that we got from a collector in Colombia.  We are not sure of the exact origin although most of the similar clones come from the Andes of Venezuela near the Colombia border.  The stems grow to 10 inches or so and have needle thing leaves to just over an inch long.  The leaves curve upward but this form is quite different from v. recurvifolia.  The overall color is green with a coating of silver trichomes and a red blush in strong light and at anthesis.  This form is like all others; a cliff dweller that forms cascading clusters.

A form of Tillandsia funckiana described from cultivated plants from the collection of Prof. Dr. Werner Rauh. A typical caulescent form with mildly to strongly recurved leaves. No exact locality was given for the type specimen. Our plants, which originated with the Marie Selby Botanical Gardens and have the accession number of SEL1985-1874 with Barinas as a locality. Barinas could be the state or city. Either way, it is in the Andes foothills adjacent to Merida which is a locality from which many T. funckiana collections have been made. A choice form. 

A large growing species from the area where Jalisco, Colima and Michoacan states of Mexico come together, it is found in all three. Growing in full sun, mainly on the ground in open scrub amongst deciduous shrubs and small trees, it can reach about 24 inches tall and when in bloom, over six feet tall! Such heights though are rarely attained in cultivation. The foliage is silvery-grey tinting pinkish in an upright, vase shaped rosette.

The inflorescence is bright pink with a very tall scape topped with slender, upright branches, all pink, with tubular, light lavender flowers. A rare species discovered by Renate Ehlers in 1991.

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

A large growing species from the area where the Rio Marabasco separates the Mexican states of Jalisco and Colima, an area of rugged mountains and rocky canyons.  This species is mostly found growing in full sun, mainly on the ground in open scrub among deciduous shrubs and small trees.  A large species that can reach about 24 inches tall and when in bloom, over six feet tall! This clone, however stays much smaller in size.

In cultivation, a three foot tall plant in bloom is much more typical. The foliage is silvery-grey in an upright, vase shaped rosette. The inflorescence is a very tall scape with many slender, upright branches of yellow with light reddish borders to the bracts.  Flowers are tubular, whitish, light lavender. A rare species discovered by Renate Ehlers in 1991.