(jalisco-monticola x capitata 'Rubra')

A stunning hybrid that is a happenstance of nature. We imported a number of wild bromeliads from Mexico back in the 1980's and early '90s and this plant and one or two others of apparently the same natural cross: (streptophylla x botterii) were among them.

A large grower with characteristics of both parents. The basic shape of botterii along with the shape of the inflorescence but the thick texture and silvery trichomes of streptophylla. An upright, spreading vase, bulbous at the base, with silvery, half inch wide, fairly stiff, channeled leaves. The inflorescence is large, taller than the foliage with a red rachis and long, petiolate branches that are mostly yellow. A dramatic, beautiful plant. 

A really wild looking hybrid blushing light red when in bloom and forming a capitate inflorescence. Multiple bright orange-red spikes protrude from the capitate head for a completely bizarre look. (capitata x flabellata) (Bak)

A truly magnificent hybrid by John Arden. A cultivar of (rothii x fasciculata ‘Magnifica’), a perfect combination that produced a robust, leafy, gracefully shaped and spectacularly blooming hybrid. The leaves are channeled, gracefully arching and recurving (much like the rothii parent) and somewhat glabrous green, but dusted with a slight coating of trichomes. 

The inflorescence is nothing short of spectacular; a sturdy rachis rising well above the foliage with long, narrow, leaf-like bracts, green but with red sheaths and about eight thick, digitate branches that are bright yellow on the upper half and bright red on the lower. Really a pretty plant and very long lasting in bloom.

One of Steve Correale’s hybrids that we love and just had to name. We thought long and hard about a name and finally thought to name it for Steve’s late wife who passed away recently. Steve has inspired us with his Tillandsia hybrids and with being a great guy, an asset to the bromeliad society and a good friend to many. Steve was also a happily married man and he and his wife were together over sixty years. We figured that she deserved our thanks for helping Steve with his hobby and allowing us to enjoy his talents all these years. I asked Steve’s permission to name the plant after Bea and he said that he would be honored. 

Two outstanding parents; streptophylla x chiapensis both lend their best characteristics to this cross. Silvery all over with a pinkish tint, bulbous based with a short scape with long silver branches and bracts that blush pinkish at anthesis. Broad leaves of heavy substance make this a heavy and substantial plant. Note that this plant is different from the same cross by Dimmitt named ‘Royal Rene’.

Our stock originated from Mitch Rabin of Living Colors Nursery and selected out over many years by Tropiflora grower Veronica Orozco.

This hybrid of (leonamiana x ixioides) is pretty much what you’d expect of this cross. An open rosette of narrow, arching, stiff leaves of silvery gray and an inflorescence that is tall and slender with a few short branches at the top, silver dusted orange bracts and yellow flowers. Easy, prolific and showy.

An early hybrid (1960’s) by Charles Wiley is a cultivar of (seleriana x bulbosa). The cross was made in Eastern Germany and is a relic of the Cold War era. Aside from this, the plant is a handsome combination of both parents. More bulbosa-like it is however stouter with more leaves and has a slight scurff unlike the bulbosa parent. The inflorescence is a short rachis with red branches and a corresponding blush in the upper leaves at anthesis. 

(aff capitata 'Temascal' x xerographica)

Tillandsia 'Chévere' is an unusual Tillandsia hybrid of (limbata x paraensis) by Bill Timm. About as different as you can get from one another, one parent, paraensis, being a soft leaved and bulbous based with a branched pink inflorescence with somewhat inflated bracts and not particularly easy to grow. The other parent, limbata, is an upright rosette of fairly stiff, tapering leaves up to 20 inches long that bears a very tall, branched inflorescence of red, but that is not particularly beautiful.

The hybrid of the two is very pretty, medium-large in size with an upright vase shape of narrow, somewhat stiff leaves of silvery gray. The inflorescence is a branched scape, about a foot taller than the rosette, with inflated pink bracts and light blue flowers.

A colorful hybrid of (capitata ‘Red’ x concolor ‘Cuicatlan’) by Bill Timm. Bill has been a prolific hybridizer of Tillandsias, creating quite a few unique crosses. This one is a medium sized plant about 12 inches tall when in bloom, with stiff glabrous green leaves in an open rosette shape. The inflorescence is about 6 inches tall with very long, stiff, scape bracts and a cluster of erect yellowish branches. The scape bracts and upper whorl or two of leaves blush deep reddish at anthesis. A colorful plant that will grow easily and add color to your collection.