A bulbous plant with a thick base to over an inch, and very stiff, contorted, terete wiry leaves. The plants are gray and slightly striped. The inflorescence is a tall spike with lavender branches. Very colorful in bloom. Great clumping plant, grows well just suspended from a string or wire.

A small species with twisted foliage and fragrant light blue flowers. Native of Bolivia and Argentina where it grows in small clusters in the arid scrublands. The leaves are silvery, terete and somewhat kinked. Its inflorescence is like that of a streptocarpa, with light blue fragrant flowers. Grow bright and airy for best results.

An impressive large growing plant from the area of Yosondua, Oaxaca, Mexico where it grows terrestrially on exposed rock. It rarely produces roots, but tends to grow in dense clusters, supporting one another or leaning on rocks for support. Superficially, it resembles a giant capitata, with many strappy leaves, gracefully recurving in a 24 to 30 inch silvery rosette.

The inflorescence is quite tall with a capitate head of long bracts and tight branches. In nature the inflorescence is red, hence the name, which means literally 'red head'. However, under our hot, humid, shaded conditions the colors are usually more subdued. This species is rare in cultivation.

A large growing clone of the species with stiff, gray leaves that have an almost glaucous look. The inflorescence is tall, narrowly branched and light yellow in color. A lithophyte or rock dwelling form that lives in southern Mexico. An easy to grow, hardy species.

A strange cliff dwelling species from Oaxaca, Mexico, growing to eight inches or so in a somewhat recurved rosette. The leaves are thick, succulent and rather glossy. A simple pink spike with purple flowers forms the inflorescence. A rare but hardy, easily cultivated species.

This is the proliferating form of secunda from the area north of Quito, Ecuador. A large growing plant with silvery-green leaves in an upright rosette, which when in bloom produces its offsets on its inflorescence. The inflorescence is tall and branched, up to 3 feet or so, and usually bright red in color, and the adventitious offsets are produced at almost every internode. In nature it grows on the ground on rocky slopes in full sun. Popular with collectors, it is usually grown potted to gain size and vigor.

*VIPP plants are NOT in bloom

An all-time favorite from Brazil is about 6 inches across in a leafy rosette with stiff gray-green leaves. It produces a stunning blue-flowered, plume-shaped pink inflorescence in the summer. In nature this plant can be found growing on the restinga sands of beach dunes and in trees in the foothills of the Atlantic Range in Brazil.

A natural hybrid from Tropiflora of Tillandsia stricta x aeranthos.

A possible natural hybrid though I am not sure if the two species overlap. Anyway it occurred in a collection of plants imported years ago. A 6 inch, stiff, gray-leaved rosette with pale, papery bracts and yellowish-white flowers that fade to light blue.

A robust form of this caulescent species from Brazil grows to about 8 inches long but can exceed 12 inches. Stiff, reddish leaves make this a handsome species and it easily forms large clusters. The inflorescence has pink bracts and white flowers. Both an epiphyte and lithophyte in habitat, it does well mounted or simply suspended from a string or wire.