Tillandsia brachycaulos × Tillandsia fasciculata

A John Arden hybrid of (jalisco-monticola x capitata). A tough and showy plant with leathery reddish leaves in a symmetrical, very leafy rosette. The inflorescence is a tight cluster of many dark orange branches in a capitate head with long scape bracts exceeding the branches. Very long lasting in color. A heavy plant, tough and sturdy, easy to grow. Grows well mounted or potted in a fast draining mix with good aeration. 

We first got this plant from a friend under formula, before the name ‘Nugget’ was given and registered. This is a cultivar of crocata x duratii by Barry Genn, both species highly fragrant but the hybrid of the two barely so. That said, it’s beautiful!

Our plant originally was quite small and ‘wimpy’ with few leaves and kind of scrawny looking. Under the care of Veronica our Tillandsia grower, it has become a much larger, robust plant with a nicely branching inflorescence and curling, silvery leaves.

The flower color is buttercup yellow, kind of surprising with the normally dominant duratii in the mix, but all better for it. We have found that if kept well fed and in good light and air circulation, the plant is vigorous and will produce offsets. Different and attractive. 

Somewhat of a mystery. This plant came to us as T. 'Oregon' with the cross listed as (streptophylla x pseudobaileyi). In checking, we noted a cross by Mark Dimmitt called 'Gorgon' and thought perhaps that ours was a case of mistaken identity or misspelling. On closer examination though, while similar, ours has flatter leaves, not terete as with 'Gorgon' and a taller inflorescence. The inflorescence is a tall scape with long, leaf-like scape bracts and a cluster of upright angled, pink branches. It appears to have T. balbisiana in its parentage but that is not reported on the label. Very attractive and long lasting in color. Easily forms substantial clusters. So, the mystery continues. 

A handsome miniature hybrid by Mark Dimmitt using Tillandsia ionantha crossed with funckiana, both red-blushing species. The hybrid is somewhat caulescent with densely packed, short, succulent leaves on a 3 inch stem. The plant can blush bronzy-red in strong light especially if not over fed, but at anthesis it blushes somewhat crimson. The flowers are compact and purple in color. Easily forms small clumps after anthesis. 

A cultivar of (capitata ‘Peach’ x concolor). A handsome, medium sized plant with an open rosette shape of fairly stiff, recurving, channeled, gray leaves. The inflorescence is about 12 inches tall, with long bracts and a clustered head of short, shiny, reddish branches and beautiful blue flowers. The upper part of the plant blushes peach color at anthesis.

A hybrid of (concolor x capitata 'Rubra') by Paterson.  A colorful plant with moderately stiff, strap-like leaves that contort in curls and spirals.  The foliage is light green but turns yellowish in strong light and blushes pinkish when in bloom. 

The inflorescence is a short scape with a cluster of glabrous yellow to reddish branches and blue flowers.  Scape bracts are very long and leaf-like.  A good plant for mounting and growing in bright light.  Will form a nice cluster of plants that will bloom simultaneously. 

A striking cross of turquinensis x ionantha variegata that bears the shape and color of the turquinensis parent.

This is a cross of stricta x vernicosa that came to us under formula without any specified hybridizer. We are therefore taking this one at ‘face value’ so to speak. A leafy, upright, funnel form rosette of fairly narrow, semi-stiff, gray green leaves that tint dark reddish in strong light.

The inflorescence is pink and forms a scape with tight branches bearing white flowers. Long lasting in color. 

Tillandsia 'Pink Sensation' (streptophylla x brachycaulos)

A hybrid of T. chiapensis x capitata 'Rubra' (Chiapas) by Pamela Koide-Hyatt that is a good representation of both parents. It has the overall shape of the capitata parent; an upright rosette of arching leaves and an inflorescence that is a cluster of branches forming a tight head, with long, curling scape bracts. The leaves are thick and leathery, like the chiapensis parent, and keep the pinkish-silver coloration. The branches are bright, silvery pink. Plant is 25 cm tall with spike, 35-40 cm diameter. Triangular leaves, to 20 cms. long, are covered with fine dense trichomes. Leaf bases are 3.5-4 cm wide. Short, semi-recessed, slightly-branched pink spathe has purple petals. Differs from hybrid T. 'Coconut Grove' as T. 'Pink Sorbet' is always pink, never red and a different clone/color of the variable species Tillandsia capitata used as pollen parent.

*VIPP plants are Small, not in bloom