If you like Till. aeranthos, you’ll love the variety aemula! Like a giant-growing form of the species, it is a very handsome and hardy plant from Southern Brazil. Somewhat more caulescent than the typical form, it has purplish-tinted foliage on a stem up to 12 inches long. The inflorescence is well exerted, about 6 inches long, with deep rose-colored bracts and deep blue flowers. Forms large clumps eventually, and can be grown mounted or just hanging on a string.

A pretty plant that grows caulescent clusters, with wide, stiff, silvery-white leaves. The inflorescence is a simple thin red spike. Native to central Mexico. Can be cultivated in a basket, mounted or hanging from a wire or string. Likes bright light and good air circulation. This clone is much smaller than the normal form.

This is a very odd hybrid that doesn’t much resemble either parent. Assuming that the reported cross is correct, the plant does not have the thick leaves of either parent, the long stem or curled leaves of duratii or an inflorescence resembling either parent in any way. The flowers are large, spreading and light blue, borne on a tall scape with green bracts. The foliage is silvery, stiff, straight and forms a leafy rosette. Whether this hybrid is correctly identified remains a question, at least to me, but does not take away from the fact that this is a handsome plant.

Tillandsia balbisiana The Florida form of this wide ranging species that occurs from Florida, the Caribbean down through Mexico and Central America and Northern South America. The Florida form tends to grow in open woods and cypress swamps from twigs in the full sun to shaded hammocks. An elongated bulbous base formed by the leaves that constrict before flaring out to an open but few leaved rosette. The inflorescence is tall, branched and lacquer red. An easy and rewarding species to grow.

A cluster of tapering leaves, silvery with heavy trichomes. The inflorescence is a simple spike of pink, dusted with silver, bearing white flowers. We collected this plant quite some years ago at a very high altitude, about 12,000 feet. They were growing on rocks in full sun and were coated with heavy dust from the nearby dirt road. We never expected this plant to survive in Florida, at sea level, but survive they did, and thrive. They are slow growing, but steady and healthy and long lived.

This species of Mexican and Central American forms a 6 inch open rosette of gray-green leaves which flush vivid red when in bloom. Flowers are blue. A lovely, easy to grow, all-time-favorite. An easy growing, sub-mesic plant that grows well when mounted and kept in moderate light and humidity.

A beautiful, giant growing form of this spectacular red-blushing Central American species. Normally about 6 inches across, this form easily reaches 12 inches or more! The leaves are green until anthesis and then blush bright red, which lasts for some weeks, then slowly fades back to green. A sub-mesic species that enjoys a bit more moisture than many of the gray leaved types.

It’s hard to improve on Tillandsia brachycaulos, a pretty, easy to grow, green plant that blushes bright red when in bloom. But, growers are always looking for something better or at least different, and this clone has been judged to be ‘brighter red’ with noticeably narrower leaves. Whether it is better than the original or typical clone is a matter of conjecture and more to the point, in the eye of the beholder, but anyway it is a nice little show plant worthy of space in your collection.

A stunning and rare form of this otherwise common and widespread species. Normally a green plant that blushes with an all over red coloration when in bloom. This form is similar in all aspects, except that it blushes bright yellow instead of red, and has white flowers instead of purple. An outstanding addition to any collection. Keep in bright indirect light. Brighter light brings stronger coloration at anthesis. Not suited for full sun.

A beautiful yellow-blushing form with white flowers, that we found in Costa Rica back in 2002 on a trip along with Chester Skotak and Hiroyuki Takizawa. We do not have many, even after all this time. It’s a little slower to grow than the typical form, but is worth the wait. SEL2002-0299.

*VIPP plants are NOT in color at this time