Both parents of this Ray Lemieux cross of Hechtia lanata x myriantha have some interesting characteristics that should express themselves when the plants grow out. The seed parent, H. lanata, has broad, scurfy, twisting and curling leaves in habitat, which is a tropical desert environment on nutrient poor cliffs.

In cultivation, seedlings of this species tend to have straighter foliage, at least here in sea-level Florida. The pollen parent, H. myriantha, is a giant grower, perhaps the largest of all Hechtia species. Anecdotal stories report that this plant can reach the size of a VW Beetle! The intent of this cross was to produce a large growing hybrid with twisted foliage and silvery scurf. Only time will tell if that will happen. 

NO HOLDING - MUST SHIP IMMEDIATELY

*TRIMMED LEAF TIPS

An as yet unnamed cross of Neoregelia ‘Rio Ocher’ x olens ‘Vulcan’ is an apple green plant with a vivid red center flush at anthesis. The inch and a half wide leaves are somewhat thick and leathery and the marginal spines are small. It develops some red cross-banding on the leaves which become more pronounced with strong light or when grown “harder”. Offsets are on short stolons and the plant is good for mounting and for terrarium use.

This is an as yet unidentified Neoregelia species from Sao Sebastiao, Sao Paulo, Brazil. Wish we knew what this one is, it’s a beauty. Still undescribed, it has a resemblance to chlorosticta, but is not. An upright rosette of apple-green leaves, mottled with white, pink and red, with bright red tips. Pretty and unusual. Hopefully it will one day be described as a new species.

*VIPP plants are Offsets

A clone of the species collected by our friends Wally Berg and John Anderson in Chapada Diamantina, Brazil, is as different as night from day when compared to the clonotype. This plant is an upright vase to almost bottle shaped plant with wide leathery leaves, heavily spined, and dusted with a thick layer of silvery trichomes. Hard grown it can grow into a very squat, vase shape. An extremely handsome plant!

A spectacular variegated chimera of ospinae v. gruberi. Upright growth of green mottled leaves have bold white variegation running up the length. Within the variegation the mottling is red giving the pattern a sharp contrast which makes it stand out. An exceptional clone of an exceptional species! 

This stunner has been one of the most in-demand of RL Frasier’s hot concentrica hybrids. A cultivar of [(carolinae x concentrica) x ('King of Kings' x concentrica)] x johannis, it was named and registered several years ago, but few were ever released. A super plant in every way, wide leaved, huge growing, colorful, and with a great shape. It takes on a deep fuchsia-purple flush in bright light with some whitish and deep purple blotching. The variegation is a broad creamy-white stripe up the center of each leaf.

This form of cruenta has an upright, vase shape of 1.5 inch wide, stiff leaves. Taller than wide, it grows to about 18 inches tall and spreads to only 16 inches. The leaves are pale greenish-yellow suffused with red speckles and a red veneer from the tips inward. The leaf tips are red. The leaf undersides are scurfy grey with slight banding. This plant comes from the area of Pedra do Pontal, in Rio de Janeiro where it grows in full sun on rocks and sand.

A species from Tamaulipas state of Mexico. An easy to grow species that forms large, silvery-scurfy rosettes. Oddly, the offsets come off with soft, glabrous leaves, developing the scurfy appearance that protects them from the sun, as they mature. The narrow, spiny leaves are rather soft (for a Hechtia) and the tips naturally die back and curl.

Yet unnamed, this Sharon Petersen hybrid of Dyckia choristaminea and an unreported other Dyckia as pollen parent is a smaller grower. Compact rosettes of narrow, bronze/red leaves dusted with silvery white scurffing are about six inches across when mature. The leaves, though narrow, are wider than the choristaminea parent, at about a quarter inch.

A uncommon species that is not found in many plant collections. It originates in Minas Gerais, Brazil growing on rocky outcroppings. The color can vary from gray to silver with hints of red. The mature size is 10 to 12 inches across. 

A nice plant that resembles a small N. cruenta in shape and coloration. Stiff, light green leaves with red tips form 8 to 10 inch funnel form rosettes on short stolons. A ‘thumb print’ marks the base of the leaf.

*VIPP plants are Offsets - NOT the mature plant in the photo