Tillandsia 'Tandur' (ixioides x stricta)

A colorful hybrid by Bill Timm of (capitata ‘Dominguensis’ x ionantha ‘Fuego’ BT). Like all or nearly all T. ionantha hybrids it most resembles that parent. An upright, vase shaped plant with many tapering, narrow leaves that are red-green with a coating of silver trichomes, but blush deep red towards anthesis. The inflorescence is low in the leaves, a head of deep blue flowers. We raised these here from seed that Bill Timm supplied to us.

An outstanding hybrid of unknown parentage, by Bill Timm, but we suspect it could be (Tillandsia ionantha x streptophylla). Bill made the cross and gave us the germinated seedlings on a wine bottle cork. He recorded the cross as what was to become ‘Baby’s Bottom’. 

When our plants began to flower it was evident that the plants were something else, but what? Bill agreed but did not know what the cross could have been. At any rate, he has registered the plant under another name.

It is a beauty with many narrow but succulent, recurving leaves in a bulbous rosette. The leaves are silver with trichomes and quite thick and stiff, the upper whorls blushing deep pink when blooming. The inflorescence has six or more pink branches that are nested in the center, rising just an inch above the foliage. Flowers are light blue. A very dense and heavy plant.

Bill Timm’s cross of (ionantha v. vanhyningii x bulbosa) is pretty much just what you’d expect. The plant without a flower looks very much like a bulbosa is shape and size, perhaps a bit stiffer with thicker leaves. When in flower, the inflorescence is more like that of the ionantha v. vanhyningii parent, short, almost without a scape, with a cluster of tight branches and blue flowers. The top of the plant and the inflorescence blushes red at anthesis.

Paul Isley’s hybrid of (seleriana x ionantha) is a small grower, larger than the ionantha parent, but half the size of seleriana. The shape is largely like the seleriana; bulbous at the base with somewhat cylindric, tapering leaves growing upright to form a sort of teardrop shape. Very fuzzy and silvery with trichomes and it blushes reddish at anthesis.

The inflorescence is held within the foliage, without a discernible scape, unlike the seleriana parent. Very nice. 

A Tropiflora hybrid by Ray Lemeiux of Tillandsia concolor 'Cuicatlan' x Tillandsia fasciculata 'Tropiflora' has long stiff tapering green leaves that reach approximately 16 inches from base to tip. The inflorescence is branched with red and green bracts.

A hybrid of Tillandsia aeranthos x gardneri. Fairly stiff, silvery-green leaves in a full 8 inch rosette. Pretty pink floral bracts. Easy to grow and prolific.

A pretty hybrid of fasciculata 'Tropiflora' x 'Fire Orange'. The frosted pink branched inflorescence is from the Tropiflora parent. Leaves are gray and lightly scurffed. The compact shape is similar to the 'Fire Orange'. A nice mix of two beautiful plants.

*VIPP plants are Small, not in bloom

A hybrid of 'Tropiflora' x chiapensis by Steve Correale as yet not named or registered. A large rosette of dark pewter colored leaves that taper to a point. The inflorescence is a cluster of upright, nearly cylindrical branches of deep red with a coat of trichomes that mutes the intense color to a deep rose. The inflorescence is short but with the branches exceeds the leaves.

*VIPP plants are small, not in bud

C.I.T.E.S. - The harrisii parent makes this plant ineligible for shipping outside of the U.S. Sorry!

A beautiful and unusual hybrid of (ionantha x harrisii). A graceful upright rosette with arching, velvety-white leaves that taper to a fine point. The rosette is about ten inches across and nine inches tall with many leaves. The leaf texture is rather soft and the leaves are coated with silvery trichomes on both sides. At anthesis the center few whorls of leaves blush pink and an inflorescence of reddish pink emerges but stays lower in the center of the plant. Flowers are tall and tubular, blue with lighter tips.