A Mexican plant with very stiff leaves in an open rosette of 6 to 8 inches. The leaves are yellowish, blushing reddish in strong light or full sun and it produces a shiny red to yellow-green, branched inflorescence with pink flowers. Easy to grow, preferring conditions on the bright and dry side. Can be suspended from a string or mounted on wood, cork, stone or other substrate. Suitable for dry terrarium use.

This is a superior clone of the species that has been grown in cultivation from seed! This is a long and arduous process for any Tillandsia and especially such relatively slow species as these. A species supremely adapted to the harsh climate of the nearly rain free canyons of interior southern Ecuador and northern Peru.

The plants, resembling cotton candy, are covered with a heavy coat of silver trichomes giving them an otherworldly appearance. In nature the plants use their trichomes to capture minute amounts of moisture from dew and frequent fogs which provide their major source moisture.

The inflorescence is a spike with a cluster of pink branches and blue flowers. After blooming the plants produce a cluster of offsets at the base of the inflorescence. The plants require bright light, good air movement and little watering in cultivation. Maintain in bright light up to full sun, watering weekly is good but the plants must dry quickly. Do not allow them to remain wet for extended periods. 

A hybrid of brachycaulos x ionantha. A 5 inch plant with leaves in an upright rosette, flushing bright red when in bloom. Many purple flowers are borne on a short scape. An excellent, easy to grow plant that was hybridized back in the 1950’s by Mulford Foster, but that also occurs naturally in Mexico.

A small lithophytic, clustering plant to about 2 inches, with short, stiff and rather succulent, dark gray leaves. Widely flaring, half inch pink flowers are borne on a short scape in small clusters. We’ve seen grapefruit sized clusters of this species growing on rocky cliffs in Bolivia, covered with pink flowers. In cultivation it enjoys growing mounted and kept in bright light with good air circulation. Allow to dry quickly after watering.