A showy hybrid of (capitata ‘Red’ x ionantha v. stricta) by Bill Timm. A nice plant about 6 to 8 inches tall that strongly resembles the ionantha parent with many narrow leaves in an upright, flaring, rosette. Green until blooming, when it blushes bright red.

This plant is an apparent natural hybrid but we are reasonably certain that it is a cross of (riohondoensis x ionantha) that came in with a shipment of the former from Guatemala some years ago. We have been propagating it ever since. The plant has many narrow, velvety leaves in an upright vase shaped rosette. It can grow to over ten inches tall and wide with leaves about a half inch wide tapering to a point. The inflorescence is a capitate head of very tight branches on a short scape bearing long leaf-like bracts. The bracts blush pink at anthesis along with the upper whorl of leaves.

Overall the plant is silvery with a heavy coating of trichomes. The leaves are soft and graceful. We are naming this plant in honor of our dear friend Ruby Ryde of Australia. An avid bromeliad collector of many years with her late husband Keith and who has for years faithfully sent us a beautiful calendar of Australian nature each December. She is our ‘Calendar Girl’ and we are proud to have her as our friend!

Tillandsia usneoides  This is the famed ‘Spanish Moss’ of the romantic south. Gracing stately trees from Virginia to Argentina, its is a ubiquitous presence in much of the southern U.S. and especially here in Florida.

The form we sell is our native form, long silvery strands, fluffy and fresh, with fragrant green flowers when it blooms. We grow some in greenhouses, but much of our stock is harvested in the many trees right on Tropiflora property. We clean it of twigs and leaves and only rarely treat it with insecticides for shipment, by request.

Forget about the red bug stories you may have heard about ‘Spanish Moss’, it’s a myth. Great for that special tropical look in your trees, for use with reptiles, as decorative mulch on indoor plants and more. Keep in a breezy, partially shaded place for best results and water well once a week. Feed occasionally if kept indoors.

Note that the photo below is a clump just over 3 feet long and is about a pound (actually just under).

*PLEASE NOTE - We are no longer allowed to ship this item to Japan

A natural hybrid of Till. argentina x tenuifolia. A clustering plant with very stiff, dark gray leaves tapering to a sharp point. The inflorescence is a lanceolate scape of pink with lavender flowers with an open corolla. Overall the plant takes more characteristics from the argentina parent.

One of the all-time favorite, easy to grow, beautiful Tillandsias, from Chiapas, Mexico. A pinkish-silver plant with wide, leathery, scurfy leaves in a broadly spreading open rosette. Can grow to 18 inches, but usually is much smaller.

The inflorescence, which can last in color for a year, is an inflated, sometimes branched, pink spike. A cliff-dweller from the dramatic canyons of Chiapas, it best kept mounted in bright light, and fed frequently.

C.I.T.E.S. - No export

The xerographica parent makes this plant ineligible for shipping outside of the U.S. 

A cultivar of chiapensis x xerographica by John Arden. One of the most dramatic of all Tillandsia hybrids not only for its size but its form and color. Growing in a widely spreading open rosette to over 24 inches across, with gracefully arching, silvery leaves of heavy substance. The inflorescence is tall with up to ten or so thick branches starting just above the rosette. The rachis is glabrous, dark pink and the branches are pink at the base, turning green towards the tips and dusted with silvery trichomes. Very long lasting in color. No known cultural problems, but it is a slow grower. 

A cultivar of Paterson’s cross of (tenuifolia x recurvifolia). A small plant to about 4 inches tall and wide with stiff, gray-green leaves in a loose rosette. The plant much more closely resembles the tenuifolia parent in shape but is more silvery. The inflorescence is a short scape with deep pink bracts and white flowers, close to the recurvifolia parent. Easily forms clusters of plants and is a fast, easy grower. 

Somewhat resembles a Tillandsia brachycaulos in size and shape but less leafy. Leaves are somewhat stiff, shiny, and gray/green. The entire plant flushes pink or peach when in bloom, with a short scape. An epiphyte on shrubby trees in the scorching valleys of central Honduras. Definitely something different. Easy to grow.

A tall Tillandsia with needle-like leaves to over 18 inches. Great for using as an accent in mounted arrangements. Will eventually form a large clump. Inflorescence is simple, greenish white to pink to red in color.

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 streptophylla) by Paterson. A plant of variable size that may flower from 5 to 10 inches tall. Somewhat bulbous and upright, the leaves are reddish and lepidote, blushing red at anthesis. The inflorescence is capitate with blue flowers. 

A colorful hybrid of (capitata ‘Red’ x concolor ‘Cuicatlan’) by Bill Timm. Bill has been a prolific hybridizer of Tillandsias, creating quite a few unique crosses. This one is a medium sized plant about 12 inches tall when in bloom, with stiff glabrous green leaves in an open rosette shape. The inflorescence is about 6 inches tall with very long, stiff, scape bracts and a cluster of erect yellowish branches. The scape bracts and upper whorl or two of leaves blush deep reddish at anthesis. A colorful plant that will grow easily and add color to your collection.