A Mexican form of ionantha with the same unique characteristics as the more familiar ‘Zebrina’; that of having even breaks in the trichomes, forming a decorative banded pattern. The ‘Zebrina’ looks to be a Guatemalan form of ionantha, differing only slightly from this form. The Mexican form differs mainly in blushing much brighter red at anthesis. We found this plant when splitting a group of Mexican ionanthas quite some years ago and have propagated them since. The name is inspired by the Zebra painted donkeys used by street photographers in Tijuana.

We have had this plant for quite a few years, having acquired it as T. ionantha ‘Snake’. It appears to be a hybrid with ionantha as one parent, but the other is unknown. Sometimes growing conditions will cause ionantha varieties to grow excessively long, but this one grows and grows under normal greenhouse conditions here in Florida. Aside from the long stem, which can reach well over 24 inches, it has narrow, fleshy leaves, hundreds of them, along the stem. The foliage is silvery gray and the inflorescence is a short scape of tight pink branches that barely exerts itself above the foliage. Offsets form along the stem at irregular intervals. An oddity worth growing. 

Also known as ‘Huamelula‘, is among the largest and loveliest of the various ionantha forms. It occurs naturally on rocky cliffs above a deep seaside canyon in Oaxaca, Mexico. This form grows up to six inches across in a spreading rosette, and colors a magnificent overall red when in bloom. Large, lovely and easy to grow!

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.