A beautiful and robust species from Chiapas, Mexico. Similar in some aspects to Tillandsia fasciculata var. fasciculata to which it is certainly closely related, it is maintained as a distinct species nonetheless. Having a bumpy and confused start including a name change by Matuda and being mis-assigned to the wrong subfamily by Lyman Smith, it remains a species of taxonomic contention. Found only in the vicinity of Sumidero Canyon, it lives mainly as a lithophyte on canyon walls, forming clusters of several to many plants. The foliage is stiff, narrowly triangular, greenish above and silvery below and up to two feet long. The inflorescence is taller than the rosette, erect at first and bearing up to a dozen narrow, bright yellow branches and blue-violet flowers. A choice species that is not very commonly available.

A cluster of tapering leaves, silvery with heavy trichomes. The inflorescence is a simple spike of pink, dusted with silver, bearing white flowers. We collected this plant quite some years ago at a very high altitude, about 12,000 feet. They were growing on rocks in full sun and were coated with heavy dust from the nearby dirt road. We never expected this plant to survive in Florida, at sea level, but survive they did, and thrive. They are slow growing, but steady and healthy and long lived.

This species of Mexican and Central American forms a 6 inch open rosette of gray-green leaves which flush vivid red when in bloom. Flowers are blue. A lovely, easy to grow, all-time-favorite. An easy growing, sub-mesic plant that grows well when mounted and kept in moderate light and humidity.

It’s hard to improve on Tillandsia brachycaulos, a pretty, easy to grow, green plant that blushes bright red when in bloom. But, growers are always looking for something better or at least different, and this clone has been judged to be ‘brighter red’ with noticeably narrower leaves. Whether it is better than the original or typical clone is a matter of conjecture and more to the point, in the eye of the beholder, but anyway it is a nice little show plant worthy of space in your collection.

A beautiful yellow-blushing form with white flowers, that we found in Costa Rica back in 2002 on a trip along with Chester Skotak and Hiroyuki Takizawa. We do not have many, even after all this time. It’s a little slower to grow than the typical form, but is worth the wait. SEL2002-0299.

*VIPP plants are NOT in color at this time

This large growing form comes mainly from Belize. It has a bulbous base, green all over, shaped like an egg, with twisted wiry leaves. Bizarre. The inflorescence is branched and brilliant red, and the whole top of the plant blushes red too when it is in bloom. Easy to grow mounted in a bright spot, out of full sun. Enjoys frequent watering and feeding for best results. This giant form may reach 10 to 14 inches tall or more with a base up to 5 inches long and two inches thick.