It’s hard to improve on Tillandsia brachycaulos, a pretty, easy to grow, green plant that blushes bright red when in bloom. But, growers are always looking for something better or at least different, and this clone has been judged to be ‘brighter red’ with noticeably narrower leaves. Whether it is better than the original or typical clone is a matter of conjecture and more to the point, in the eye of the beholder, but anyway it is a nice little show plant worthy of space in your collection.

A beautiful, giant growing form of this spectacular red-blushing Central American species. Normally about 6 inches across, this form easily reaches 12 inches or more! The leaves are green until anthesis and then blush bright red, which lasts for some weeks, then slowly fades back to green. A sub-mesic species that enjoys a bit more moisture than many of the gray leaved types.

This is a form of this lithophytic species from Venezuela that grows to nearly 10 inches tall, or at least generally larger than most other clones. Other than that it is typical, needle like ¾ inch long leaves on a long stem, silvery green, tinting red in good light and blushing deep red at the crown near anthesis. Flaring, tubular flowers are bright red.