Jim Irvin has a knack with Cryptanthus, (as well as other bromeliads!), and has produced numerous first-class hybrids.  This is one of which he can be proud.  This hybrid, a cultivar of ‘Sweet Tooth’ x ‘Ice Age,’ and a grex mate to ‘Very Cold Tooth,’ is a dark brown, almost black plant with closely spaced cross banding of silver trichomes with dense silver white scurf underneath.  The inch-wide leaves are long and graceful, undulating at the margins in a symmetrical rosette.

(Encholirium horridum x Hechtia rosea (macdougallii) (spineless form) by Ray Lemieux. The first ever in this nothogenera! A large grower to about 5 feet across and 3 feet tall in a full rosette of about 150 leaves. The leaves are 2.25 inches at the base, tapering to a point, almost spineless, with a few random small spurs and average 45 inches long. The inflorescence is 5 feet tall, 1.5 inches thick at the base with 32 branches and is red with red bracts. The flowers have red sepals and red petals. The plant is a spectacular specimen for landscape, blushing bright red in strong light.

This stunning large cross of Dyckia platyphylla x ‘Carlsbad‘ has many spiny arching leaves in a rosette to well over 18 inches. One of the most colorful of Dyckia hybrids, it has reddish/brown leaves in full sun or a deep burgundy color in lower light.

This form of Cryptanthus beuckeri is a pattern-less, solid green form.  It otherwise resembles the typical form which has mottled leaves, mainly in having petiolate leaves. A native of Bahia, Brazil.

This award winning, Warren Loose Best Hybrid Award at the Fifth International Cryptanthus show, Carole Richtmyer hybrid, is a cultivar of ‘Clyde Jackson’ x ‘Coral Bates.‘  This large full round plant has wide leaves that are black in color with strong red mottling depending on light, and very intense closely spaced bands of white scurf on upright stiff leaves that are also heavily scurfy underneath.

This is a very widespread species that can be found from Mexico to Peru and across to Venezuela.  A variable species which commonly grows on cliffs as a terrestrial, but can grow on rocks as a lithophyte, and in trees as an epiphyte.  The plant has two dimorphic leaf forms, one a thin green blade which is deciduous and one which is a short, stiff, spiky leaf which looks more like a large spine.  When the plant goes dormant, the spiky leaves protect the bulbous base of the plant and flowers emerge on a very short scape before the new foliage appears.  Flowers are typically red, occasionally white and sometimes pink.  An easy to grow species that likes abundant moisture when growing, but much less in the dormant season.

Both parents of this Ray Lemieux cross of Hechtia lanata x myriantha have some interesting characteristics that should express themselves when the plants grow out. The seed parent, H. lanata, has broad, scurfy, twisting and curling leaves in habitat, which is a tropical desert environment on nutrient poor cliffs.

In cultivation, seedlings of this species tend to have straighter foliage, at least here in sea-level Florida. The pollen parent, H. myriantha, is a giant grower, perhaps the largest of all Hechtia species. Anecdotal stories report that this plant can reach the size of a VW Beetle! The intent of this cross was to produce a large growing hybrid with twisted foliage and silvery scurf. Only time will tell if that will happen.

Note that a photo of the parents in the wild are shown.

This is a 2007 cultivar of ‘Durrell’ x ‘San Juan’ by Steve Hoppin. 

The shape is a loose rosette up to 10 inches tall and 24 inches across with shiny green leaves that are wavy and have serrated edges. The leaves have an olive green color that has a hint of bronze along the edge and slight scurfing on the underside of the leaves.

A species discovered and named by Teresa Strehl from an area near the city of Porto Allegre in Rio Grande do Sul in the town of Dom Feliciano. It strongly resembles Dyckia hebdingii in general aspect with many leaves in a dense 12 inch rosette. The color is light green with a coating of silver trichomes. The marginal spines are short and serrate. In nature this plant lives on exposed rocky outcrops with little soil, in full sun.

First release of this small-ish Dyckia. Grown in bright light, the leaves are a dark purple over green, covered in white scurf with large pink spines.

Ship partially bare-rooted.

This is the type form of Deuterocohnia brevifolia, greener and slightly larger than the form chlorantha which is actually more commonly cultivated. This group of Deuterocohnias use to be known as Abromeitiella a name still used by many, especially in the succulent world. This interesting, miniature terrestrial bromeliad is found in Bolivia and Argentina and has neat, compact rosettes about the diameter of a U.S. quarter, with short, succulent, light green leaves ending in a sharp spine. In nature it grows on steep hillsides or rock faces in cool, arid regions, forming mounds of tens of thousands of plants. Adapts well to pot culture, forming pillow-like clusters. Likes plenty of water in warm weather, but prefers to be allowed to dry thoroughly after watering. Our clone of this plant came from a collection made in 1996 by Marjorie McNamera of Australia, in Northern Argentina.

A hybrid of ‘Fire and Ice’ x ‘Diverse Pink’ by Jim Irvin.  A real beauty with wavy, chocolate brown leaves profusely banded with silver to 24" in diameter.

This Jim Irvin hybrid is a cultivar of Cryptanthus 'Pink Brocade' x 'Kit Hilbers'  and grex mate to 'Blake Babcock,' 'Rapunzel,' and 'Rusty Rose' having 10+ lanceolate leaves forming a large plant to 24" in diameter with a diamond shape.  The overall red-brown leaves with dark brown mottling are marked with varying distant white bands fully transversing the leaf width.  The undersides of the leaves are covered with a dense heavy white scurf.

This is a cultivar of ‘Richard Lum’ x ‘Stephen Hoppin’ released by Steve Hoppin in 2007 and a grex mate to ‘Ziggy Stardust.’  The wavy leaves are bright green in color and have dark green mottling.  The leaf edges are reddish bronze in color and a central bronze colored stripe.  The leaves are triangular in shape and are densely serrated.  A large growing plant up to 20 inches across and 12 inches tall form a full open round shape.

This nice plant is an accidental hybrid where we only know the seed parent which is Sincoraea albopicta. The plant does not look like pure albopicta so it must be the result of an unintended pollination in our greenhouse. The other plant will remain a mystery but because of the form of the plant we suspect that is might be an Sincoraea burlemarxii or another Sincoraea at least. A smallish to medium grower reaching only about 14 inches across with narrow leaves that are still and well armed with small but stout spines. The color is green with faint reddish banding. At anthesis the center whorl of leaves turns bright red with some silver scurffing and the nidular inflorescence has bright red sepals.