Little rosettes form on six inch stolons, spreading out horizontally, eventually forming a large cluster. Depending upon light and fertilizer levels, the plants will be reddish-green to bright red. Less fertilizer and more light brings out maximum color.

This miniature species has never been properly classified but remains an extremely popular plant. Outstanding in hanging baskets, in landscape and in terrariums.

An albomarginated clone of Cryptanthus zonatus (aka 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 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.

*VIPP plants are Offsets

A spectacular Brazilian bromeliad which reaches impressive sizes, suitable for landscaping and interiorscape use. A wide leaved, funnel-form rosette to well over 30 inches with bluish-green leaves, reticulated and striated with light green. As the plant matures, the striations become almost white. A slow grower that makes a great terrarium plant when young.

Neoregelia hybrid that strongly resembles one parent; Neo. ‘Fireball’, is a small, open rosette about 6 inches across, on 4 to 6 inch stolons and forms attractive clusters of many plants. Full sun tolerant, it is widely used in landscape, but also makes a nice hanging basket plant and does well for mounting. Very popular with terrarium enthusiasts too. Pinkish green with creamy white margins in the shade, it takes on a glowing pink-red coloration in bright light. A choice plant!

A cultivar of (chlorosticta x ‘Sunrise’) by Shane Zaghini. A smallish plant to about ten inches across in an upright, vase shaped rosette. The inch and a half wide leaves are dark purple marbled with bright green. A nice Aussie hybrid.

Formerly Orthophytum rafaelli. A stunning newly described small growing species from the Chapada Diamantina of Bahia Brazil in the vicinity of Palmeira, Serra das Paridas, Cachoeira do Mosquito. A lithophyte living is rock crevices on cliff faces, partly shaded by shrubs. The area is typical of ‘Campos Rupestres’, a seasonally dry, rocky scrubland between rocky hills and plateaus.

A plant to about ten to twelve inches across or less when grown hard, with many narrow, stiff leaves, heavily armed with large, curved spines. Green above and white below, with a heavy dusting of trichomes. Bright light brings out a red blush and the color at anthesis is cherry red with a green center and white flowers. Offsets are produced on stolons. A highly decorative species. Described in 2011 by Elton Leme and named after its discoverer Rafael de Oliveira.

A neat little Skotak hybrid of (carolinae x olens ‘Marie’) x (olens ‘Marie’ x carolinae ‘Shadowlawn’) that forms compact 6 to 8 inch rosettes of light green leaves, variegated nicely with bright white. A cherry red center flush, red tips and a suffusion of tiny red speckles and random blotches make this a very attractive plant.

*VIPP plants are Offsets

A hybrid of (‘Ornato’ x carcharodon ‘Tiger’) by Grant Groves. A handsome, glossy hybrid with many stiff leaves in a 20 inch rosette. The leaves have large marginal spines with an apiculate tip.

The medium green background color is suffused with a reddish blush and deep red-chestnut banding.

*Some leaf blemishes

This is a spectacular, large-growing species, descended from plants grown from seed collected by Wally Berg on Pico do Fernando, Bahia, Brazil. The plants have hundreds of narrow, strap-like, spiny leaves at maturity, recurving downward to form a graceful ball-like shape. Encholirium species grow much like the genus Dyckia, enjoying water in the growing season and a rest in cooler weather.

Can grow in filtered light or full sun. This species is monocarpic or occasionally making one or two offsets. The bloom spike can reach 4 feet in height and branches out, the flowers are large for bromeliads, with green bracts and petals filled with a pungent, sticky fluid, possibly to attract pollinators; bats have been seen pollinating this plant.