Jim Irvin has a knack with Cryptanthus, (as well as other bromeliads!), and has produced numerous first-class hybrids.  This is one of which he can be proud.  This hybrid, a cultivar of ‘Sweet Tooth’ x ‘Ice Age,’ and a grex mate to ‘Very Cold Tooth,’ is a dark brown, almost black plant with closely spaced cross banding of silver trichomes with dense silver white scurf underneath.  The inch-wide leaves are long and graceful, undulating at the margins in a symmetrical rosette.

This Carole Richtmyer hybrid is a cultivar of (‘Monty’ x beuckeri) x (sinuosus x ‘Lirico’) having 10+ lanceolate leaves forming a medium plant to 12″ in diameter with an upright open round shape.  The leaves are mottled red and green with fine white scurf heaviest in the leaf axils.  The undersides of the leaves have a light lineated white scurf.

This is a cultivar of ‘Richard Lum’ x ‘Stephen Hoppin’ released by Steve Hoppin in 2007 and a grex mate to ‘Ziggy Stardust.’  The wavy leaves are bright green in color and have dark green mottling.  The leaf edges are reddish bronze in color and a central bronze colored stripe.  The leaves are triangular in shape and are densely serrated.  A large growing plant up to 20 inches across and 12 inches tall form a full open round shape.

A large growing Cryptanthus hybrid by Carole Richtmyer is a cultivar of (‘Nancy’ x ‘Peaches’) x argyrophyllus.  This Cryptanthus has 10+ very thick succulent lanceolate leaves forming a medium plant to 18″ in diameter with an open, rounded rosette shape.   This plant can attain larger sizes, over 24", in more shade.

The color of the leaves is pink to rosy pink changing to old gold or olive green with age and stronger light with dark grey edges and light scurf covering the entire leaf, both the face and back.  A exceptionally nice plant!

This Stephen Hoppin hybrid is a cultivar of capitatus x ‘Richard Lum’ having 18+ long lanceolate leaves forming an extra-large very full upright rosette plant to 24″ in diameter.  The densely serrated, highly glossy leaves are mottled and striated with dark forest green, red, and rust that reddens further in bright light with dark edges.  The undersides of the leaves are covered in a medium dense white scurf.

An albomarginated clone of Cryptanthus fosterianus.  Growing from 18 inches to 24 inches across, the leaves are a chocolate brown in color with hot pink margins.  There are regularly spaced silver bands across the leaves.  Truly one of the best Cryptanthus to have!

Jim Irvin’s cross of zonatus ‘Silver’ x ‘Ocean Mist’ is one of his best in our opinion. Dark brown leaves are almost entirely coated with a fuzzy silver banding to the point of nearly becoming solid silver. The brown shows through as narrow, zig-zag bands. A really pretty plant and a large grower too.

This very unusual Cryptanthus was found by Jean Nicol of Australia in a shipment of plants that her husband, Bill, had bought her from Singapore in 1984.  It is thought to be an albomarginated sport of Cryptanthus 'Glad', a Cryptanthus marginatus hybrid made back in the 1960's by Mulford Foster.

The plant has 15+ lanceolate leaves forming an open round shape to 19" in diameter of albomarginated kelly and olive green matte finished leaves with a constant slight pink hue to them in good light and more so the closer to flowering time.  The leaves are edged with fine spines and are only slightly crisped.  The underside of the leaves are covered by longitudinally marked very slight and fine white scurf. 

This is a 2007 cultivar of ‘Durrell’ x ‘San Juan’ by Steve Hoppin. 

The shape is a loose rosette up to 10 inches tall and 24 inches across with shiny green leaves that are wavy and have serrated edges. The leaves have an olive green color that has a hint of bronze along the edge and slight scurfing on the underside of the leaves.

This Ed Edmiston hybrid is a cultivar of Cryptanthus brevifolius x 'Madame Ganna Walska' maturing to a flattish, eight leaved rosette to 12 inches in diameter.  Stiff arched rose-pink leaves with olive-green blotches mid-leaf and on the edges with slight scurfing towards the leaf bases.  The leaves slightly twist at the tip and expose the lightly scurfed undersides.

A hybrid of ‘Fire and Ice’ x ‘Diverse Pink’ by Jim Irvin.  A real beauty with wavy, chocolate brown leaves profusely banded with silver to 24" in diameter.

This form of Cryptanthus beuckeri is a pattern-less, solid green form.  It otherwise resembles the typical form which has mottled leaves, mainly in having petiolate leaves. A native of Bahia, Brazil.

This is an undescribed species from near Fernando, Bahia, Brazil, collected by Wally Berg and John Anderson, along with Pedro Nahoum in 1997.  A large grower to about 24 inches with broad, glabrous, coppery colored leaves.  A rather impressive species. 

This plant also has the Marie Selby Botanical Gardens accession number of SEL1997-0355.