A fairly rare plant in cultivation is a denizen of inland forests in the northern Mexican states of Sinaloa and Sonora. This plant is hummingbird pollinated and has a branched pink scape with tubular flowers. The plant is about 6 inches tall with somewhat stiff, silvery leaves in an upright rosette.

This Bill Timm hybrid is a cultivar of (elizabethae x ionantha ‘Fuego’). As is often the case with hybrids made with various forms of Tillandsia ionantha, this one takes on the basic shape of the that species, but is far larger at about 8 inches tall.

A strict, upright rosette of many leaves, green with silver trichomes and no blush at anthesis. The inflorescence is a scape that remains within the rosette, pink with blue flowers.

A tiny, 3 to 4 inch rosette of stiff, gray leaves that forms stoloniferous clusters. The inflorescence is a 4 inch spike of vivid red. Native to Peru and Ecuador where it forms huge epiphytic colonies in bombax trees, that may run into the thousands. Grow as a xeric Tillandsia, do not pot. This is a must-have plant.

This is the same plant in every way as the regular form of the species, except much, much larger. Reaching up to 12 inches in diameter, with stolons of 6 to 8 inches, it is an impressive plant. The many leaves are silvery, with an 8 inch bright red spike with blue flowers. This rare form is restricted to the north central Pacific coast of Ecuador. Grow mounted, bright as with most Tillandsias.  Please note that this species was described as and was considered a Vriesea until the recent DNA studies prompted a realignment to the genus Tillandsia.