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.

One of the most desirable and sought Tillandsia species ever. This is the rare clone with the deep-red inflorescence, from the hinterlands of the Darien in Panama. A rather small plant, growing to about six inches across in a somewhat bulbous, greenish-gray open rosette. The inflorescence is a short inflated, disproportionately large, arrowhead-shaped scape of deep red. We collected our original stock of these beauties some years ago on one of our most adventurous trips ever, and have established a nice sized colony. Easily forms clumps.

Grow bright, out of direct sun, keep warm and feed often.

*VIPP plants are not in bud

This species is similar in some ways to Til. gurreroensis, but is smaller, with larger, almost fuzzy, trichomes. The inflorescence is simple, a pink spike with deep blue flowers. (The photo is lighter than actual) Discovered by Renate Ehlers, and named by her for her husband and collecting partner, Klaus. A rare gem.

This one of the larger species, growing to well over 12 inches tall. It is more upright with silvery leaves and an inflorescence of orange which terminates in an offset.

A fine example of the variable divaricata group of latifolias. Common to southern Ecuador, it is found mostly in colonies on the ground in treeless desert areas. The plants form dense mats of hard, reflective silvery leaves, their tall shiny orange spikes glistening in the full sun. In cultivation, where conditions are relatively much less stressful, they grow somewhat larger than in their native habitats, reaching about 18 inches tall. Very slow growing.

This is a Guatemalan species that was formerly known as Tillandsia capitata v. guzmanioides. Many years ago we tried to grow this plant from wild collected specimens sent up from Kurt Meyer. These are cultivated plants that we also imported, but have had them for years and they are thriving here in Florida. This plant closely resembles some of the capitata forms but seems to agree in many aspects with the species. The photo is of one of this same clone so you can be the judge. We grow ours bare root in baskets, but this plant can tolerate potting in a light media. Green foliage with a capitate inflorescence and long scape bracts that blush bright red at anthesis.

A large plant with an unusual cross. The parent; Tillandsia limbata, is rarely seen in hybrids. It gives size to the cross as well as the long, strappy leaves forming a rosette to about 24 inches across with green leaves that are silvery on the undersides. The inflorescence is tall with many upright, narrow branches held close to the rachis. The branches are green but trend slightly towards yellow-orange in color and the scape bracts are long but only green.

A species related to Tillandsia xiphioides has relatively few, stiff leaves in an open rosette, with a lanceolate inflorescence of yellow. Flowers are yellow, but unlike xiphioides, not fragrant. We found this species growing on rocks in the full sun, not far from the Rio Santa Rosa in central Bolivia.

Crossing the Santa Rosa in our little jeep, we were nearly swept away when the water got as deep as our door handles! This rare plant had not been in cultivation in the U.S. before then. Grow bright with good air circulation. Restrict water in winter.

This species, from Oaxaca, Mexico, described by Espejo & Lopez-Ferrari in 2008, has been often confused with the similar Tillandsia jalisco-monticola. Aside from its range which is unique, this species differs from jalisco-monticola in that the spike is never branched and is narrower, along with other anatomical differences. A large, spreading rosette with many narrow, dark silvery leaves to 24 inches across, with a simple inflorescence that is very thickly inflated, green on the top half and pink to red below. Very showy and long lasting in bloom.

*VIPP plants are small, not in bud

An interesting species from Bahia, Brazil where it grows on exposed rock. Upright growing with narrow, 8 inch long leaves on a caulescent stem. The inflorescence is an erect spike, slightly taller than the foliage, terminating with a cluster of pink bracts and white flowers. A mature plant in bloom can reach 16 inches tall and 8 inches wide. Our plant is descended directly from the type collection by Elton Leme.

A variety of T. mima from the area of Rio Jequetepeque in the Department of Cajamarca, Peru that was discovered by Prof. Dr. Werner Rauh and published in 1977. A saxicole in nature, it has extremely heavy, wire-like roots for holding fast to rocks. Differing from the other typical forms of mima in having narrow foliage, many leaves and a smaller size of only about 24 inches maximum and usually smaller. Like the other forms, produces adventitious offsets at the base and this form also produces them on the inflorescence as well.

The inflorescence is quite tall, over 3 feet, tripinnate and bearing dark violet flowers. Our plants came from Dr. Rauh many years ago. We find this species hardy but very slow growing.