A fairly rare plant in cultivation is a denizen of inland forests in the northern Mexican states of Sinaloa and Sonora. This plant is hummingbird pollinated and has a branched pink scape with tubular flowers. The plant is about 6 inches tall with somewhat stiff, silvery leaves in an upright rosette.

This Bill Timm hybrid is a cultivar of (elizabethae x ionantha ‘Fuego’). As is often the case with hybrids made with various forms of Tillandsia ionantha, this one takes on the basic shape of the that species, but is far larger at about 8 inches tall.

A strict, upright rosette of many leaves, green with silver trichomes and no blush at anthesis. The inflorescence is a scape that remains within the rosette, pink with blue flowers.

This is the same plant in every way as the regular form of the species, except much, much larger. Reaching up to 12 inches in diameter, with stolons of 6 to 8 inches, it is an impressive plant. The many leaves are silvery, with an 8 inch bright red spike with blue flowers. This rare form is restricted to the north central Pacific coast of Ecuador. Grow mounted, bright as with most Tillandsias.  Please note that this species was described as and was considered a Vriesea until the recent DNA studies prompted a realignment to the genus Tillandsia.

Tillandsia exserta features a unique and slender shape, with white, arching leaves and a red inflorescence with violet flowers. This species grows in the drier, hotter conditions of Mexico. A unique species of Tillandsia.

A superior version of the typical T. fasciculata with stiff greenish gray leaves in an upright rosette and a multi-branched spike of red, yellow and orange. Very nice!

This is an unidentified species that is at least similar to fasciculata and with a ‘Pink & Green’ inflorescence. We have had this for many years and in the interim have lost the locality data for it. We believe that this was originally from Mexico, but may be mistaken. Too bad, because this data is important when trying to identify plants. At any rate, this is a nice and colorful, fairly large-growing Tillandsia worthy of space in your collection!

Native to the dry woods and scrub of northwest Mexico.

*Plants budded as of 5/30/2025

The Florida native form of this widespread species which has a range that runs from Florida and the Bahamas to Northern South America. An upright, tubular, vase-shaped plant with broadly tapering, spiraled leaves. The color is brownish-green with a coating of silver trichomes that normally forms in bands. The inflorescence is tall, thin and usually branched, normally green in Florida, but can be reddish sometimes. The flowers are arranged at right angles and are rosy/pink. Often a twig epiphyte in nature, it is easy to grow mounted. Keep warm, (above 40's) as this is an especially tropical species that in Florida is restricted to the southern Everglades and coastal regions of South Florida.

VIPP Plants Budded as of 08/25/25

One of the more unusual of all Tillandsias because of its habit of producing offsets all along its three foot long inflorescence, as well as in the more usual manner. A handsome plant with rather stiff leaves arranged in a more open rosette. This form of flexuosa is apparently native only to Venezuela, with two major colonies of slightly different plants. One colony occurs on the north coast where it often grows in large numbers in shrubs, trees and cacti on the seaside cliffs. Large clusters of these plants weigh down the limbs of the local scrub-type vegetation, often breaking loose and falling into the sea.

The other colony is in the Andes, near Merida, where it grows mainly in large clusters on the ground and in some low shrubbery. This form has thicker leaves and is larger and more open in shape. An easy to grow species that thrives mounted in a warm environment.