The classic ‘Blushing Bride’, one of the first forms of this species imported, and at one time the most abundant.  Now overtaken by cultivated Guatemalan plants, which tend to be less colorful, the Mexican form is much sought.  Growing to about two inches tall and wide, it will form large clusters in a short time (few years) and is very easy to grow. 

Found from northern Mexico, within 100 miles of the Texas border, then south all the way to Guatemala.  It is found mostly in semi-arid, deciduous forest where it can fill the limbs of trees by the tens of thousands.  This form blushes very bright red at anthesis.

An interesting novelty that occurred in the collection of Bert Foster about 25 years ago and has persisted ever since. An otherwise normal ionantha but with even breaks in the trichomes, forming a banded pattern. Very decorative miniature measuring approximately 2 inches tall.

*MINIATURE TILLANDSIA*

A rare caulescent species from Sumidero Canyon in Chiapas, Mexico, where it covers the canyon walls in some places, by the thousands. Tillandsia ionantha v. vanhyningii has short thick leaves on a 3 to 6 inch stem and blushes a peach color when in bloom and forms large cascading clusters. The plant grows with a long stem that forms many adventitious offsets which can be removed and grown or left to form a large cluster. Very easy to grow, bright and airy.

A medium sized species from Bolivia and Argentina, with very stiff silvery leaves in a spreading rosette. A tall, nodding scape with brownish bracts bears butter yellow flowers. Forms large clusters of plants in habitat and does very well mounted. Easy to grow and fairly cold hardy.

A cross of two plants of the southern cone of South America. Tillandsia ixioides which has few, very stiff leaves and no appreciable stem and bergeri which has a long stem and many short, stiff leaves. The result is a plant with many stiff leaves that recurve downwards in a rosette to about 4 inches in diameter. The inflorescence favors bergeri, with pale blue, twisted petals.

A small plant with grayish silver leaves in an upright rosette. It is clustering and has a short scape with bright pink bracts and yellowish flowers.

A smallish species of Tillandsia that grows on a long stem.  The narrow, stiff leaves are 2 to 3 inches long spaced along the stem and taper to a point.  The overall color is dark purplish with a silvery tint.  The inflorescence is a 2 inch scape with bright pink bracts and flaring blue flowers.  Clumps are easily formed and once a clump forms, the plants can be suspended from a string for cultivation. 

Native to Rio Grande do Sul in Southern Brazil, it has a strong resemblance to T. aeranthos though it must be significantly different enough to deserve species status.  Our plants came originally from the collection of Elton Leme. 

A tall Tillandsia with needle-like leaves to over 18 inches. Great for using as an accent in mounted arrangements. Will eventually form a large clump. Inflorescence is simple, greenish white to pink to red in color.

This taxon was treated as a synonym of T. juncea by Mez 1935 and S&D in 1977 but the name persists. This name continues to be used by Guatemalan growers and others for the nursery trade for a small, green form with longish stolons. It could be treated as a form of T. juncea not a species in its own right but is best treated as a cultivar ‘Juncifolia’

An interesting cross of kegeliana x rothii for which we have little information. The plant most certainly show strong influence of the rothii parent with an open rosette shape of wide, fairly stiff leaves and a branched inflorescence of inflated branches. The kegeliana doesn’t manifest itself much but definitely makes the plant look a lot different than a pure rothii. The flowers are white.