This plant is a bit of an enigma. It came to us years ago, on more than one occasion, mixed in with wild taken plants shipped as T. lenca (formerly fasciculata ‘Hondurensis’) from Honduras, of course. (That plant was recently given species status as Tillandsia lenca). That plant lives on cliff faces in central Honduras, often in association with the species Til. hondurensis.

Confused yet? Well, some years ago Steve Correale found a natural hybrid of the two species which was described and published as Til. x correalii. Presumably any combination of the two species would be considered an x correalii. T. x correalii has an inflorescence much more closely resembling that of its Tillandsia hondurensis parent. Our plant has a branched inflorescence, much more in line with T. lenca, but otherwise also appears to be a hybrid with hondurensis.

So, is this just a ‘branched form’ of x correalii or another natural hybrid deserving its own name? We are certainly in no position to make that decision, so we are choosing to give it a cultivar name to serve to keep them separate in the interim. Is this clear to you now? By the way, the name ‘Catracho’ is a nickname for the Honduran people. 

An interesting species from Bahia, Brazil where it grows on exposed rock. Upright growing with narrow, 8 inch long leaves on a caulescent stem. The inflorescence is an erect spike, slightly taller than the foliage, terminating with a cluster of pink bracts and white flowers. A mature plant in bloom can reach 16 inches tall and 8 inches wide. Our plant is descended directly from the type collection by Elton Leme.

A cultivar of a hybrid by Mark Dimmitt of Tillandsia ferreyrae x bulbosa, named by Bill Timm. Most resembling the bulbosa parent, but much larger with more leaves. This plant is dramatic looking with a bulbous base that is ‘egg shaped’, about 2 to 3 inches thick. The base is somewhat darkened, brown to almost black and the leaves, which are terete and taper to a fine point are green with a slight gray wash of trichomes.

The inflorescence is branched on a short scape, not quite as tall as the leaves. The braches and the leaf-like scape bracts blush bright red at anthesis. Flowers are two-tone, blue and white or pale lavender and blue. 

This plant is from Bak nurseries in Holland but it does not, apparently, have a registered name. Too bad because it is a beauty. A fairly large size grower to about a foot tall with a 20 inch spread of channeled, silvery leaves tapering from about a half inch wide to a slender tip. Very graceful in aspect with a soft, velvety quality but sturdy nonetheless. The inflorescence is a branched scape just longer than the leaves, erect with four or five branches held upright in a cluster. The color is greenish yellow to orange-red, depending somewhat on the light, the brighter the more colorful in most cases. Easy to grow under typical Tillandsia conditions, offsets well after blooming.

This is a giant form of Tillandsia pruinosa from Colombia. It is like the smaller or regular forms except that it is larger and does not color up at anthesis as some forms do. It grows to nearly 12 inches tall with a thick base. It might resemble a slightly more slender Tillandsia seleriana due to its size but is a pruinosa for sure. Up right leaves and a bulbous base, all covered with heavy trichomes. Nice.

A hybrid of (mallemontii x duratii) by M. Patterson in Australia, it’s a pretty good combination of the two parents. Tillandsia duratii is a robust plant with a long stem and curling leaves, rootless in the adult form and producing a long, branched inflorescence with fragrant purple flowers. Tillandsia mallemontii is a plant with fine leaves, forming a tangled ball with many plants. The slender inflorescence is un-branched and produces a large, fragrant, purple flower. 

The hybrid ‘Wonga’ looks more like a skinny duratii with many curly leaves and a long, branching inflorescence. The stunning thing though is that the flowers of both parents are very fragrant and those of ‘Wonga’ are not!

Bill Timm’s hybrid of Tillandsia ionantha ‘Druid’ x ionantha v. vanhyningii, looks pretty much like a large vanhyningii. If this plant had turned out with a yellow blush instead of red, more like the ‘Druid’ parent, then this would have been a show stopper. But alas it isn’t yellow, but it is still a very nice, compact and colorful plant as you can see by the photo. 

A handsome form of this variable species from Mexico has grayish-green leaves in a 12 to 18 inch upright rosette. The inflorescence is a torch-like head of long yellow bracts that is long lasting and colorful. A lithophyte in nature, it can be grown mounted or potted in a well-draining mix.

A unique yellow-blushing clone of Tillandsia ionantha with white flowers. When in bloom, the whole top of the plant turns a bright golden yellow instead of red. A beautiful sight! Found amongst plants imported from Veracruz, Mexico by Drew Schulz and later named ‘Druid’ by her husband in her honor, adding a twist of mystery as well.

Easy to grow as the ‘normal’ form and thus far, completely stable.

Paul Isley's cross 'Kendra' is a cultivar of bulbosa x baileyi. A vigorous hybrid that looks a bit like the baileyi parent but is much larger and more robust. The bulbous base is like that of the bulbosa and the terete leaves are silvery and sinuous. The inflorescence is quite tall, at least as long as the leaves and it branched, pinkish, with a silvery finish. Grows to about 18 inches tall, taller than either parent plant. 

A nice hybrid of stricta x leonamiana with silvery-white leaves in a full rosette that can reach 10 inches across in larger specimens. The inflorescence is fairly stricta-like, about 6 inches long and nodding. The bracts are bright pink frosted with silver on the tips. A choice plant!

This plant is the same cross by Steve Correale; chiapensis x botterii, as ‘Mixtec Treasure’ but is a different clone. Similar in size, it is a fairly large plant to over twelve inches tall with silvery leaves can blush slightly reddish and that taper to fine points forming a graceful vase shaped rosette that spreads at anthesis. 

The inflorescence up to seven long branches and is taller than the foliage, with a central branch longer than the others. All branches are slightly secund towards the tips. The color is red on the bottom half of the branches fading to yellow on top. A coat of silver trichomes tones down the colors to pink and yellow, very attractive.