Tillandsia ionantha ‘Blushing Bride’  The most popular Guatemalan form of this beautiful miniature species. 2 to 3 inches tall vase shaped plants are green with silver trichomes, and blush bright red all over when in bloom, with bright purple flowers.

This species of Mexican and Central American forms a 6 inch open rosette of gray-green leaves which flush vivid red when in bloom. Flowers are blue. A lovely, easy to grow, all-time-favorite. An easy growing, sub-mesic plant that grows well when mounted and kept in moderate light and humidity.

This crown jewel of ionanthas, is a rare caulescent form from Sumidero Canyon in Chiapas, Mexico, where it covers the canyon walls in some places, by the thousands. This form has short thick leaves on a 3 to 6 inch stem and blushes a peach color when in bloom and forms large cascading clusters. The plant is very different from typical ionanthas, with a long stem that forms many adventitious offsets which can be removed and grown or left to form a large cluster. Very easy to grow, bright and airy.

From Guatemala. This cute little plant about 4 inches tall has a bright green bulbous base and twisted, wiry leaves that blush bright red when blooming. The inflorescence is a short scape with red branches and deep blue flowers. Grow shaded and moist for best results. Forms attractive clumps, can be grown hanging from a string. A must for every Tillandsia fancier. Good for terrariums too.

Perhaps the reddest of all the ionantha forms when blooming. Simply beautiful, it was originally found in a Guatemalan mangrove forest where the first few dozen plants were collected. Grow bright, warm and airy. Forms a ball-like clump that can be cultivated hanging from a string or wire. Individual plants are small, barely over an inch tall. An excellent, easy to grow, must-have species.

Hint: Makes a great holiday wreath or Valentine's Day arrangement!

This species from Mexico and Central America is an upright growing plant to 12 inches and has a simple or occasionally branched, lanceolate inflorescence of red and yellow. Usually epiphytic, sometimes lithophytic in nature, it is easy to grow and a faithful bloomer with leaves that blush reddish in strong light. Suitable for terrariums.

The classic ‘Blushing Bride’, one of the first forms of this species imported, and at one time the most abundant.  Now overtaken by cultivated Guatemalan plants, which tend to be less colorful, the Mexican form is much sought.  Growing to about two inches tall and wide, it will form large clusters in a short time (few years) and is very easy to grow. 

Found from northern Mexico, within 100 miles of the Texas border, then south all the way to Guatemala.  It is found mostly in semi-arid, deciduous forest where it can fill the limbs of trees by the tens of thousands.  This form blushes very bright red at anthesis.