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 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.

Bill Timm’s hybrid of (‘Tiki Torch’ x ‘Druid‘). An upright rosette with stiff, narrow leaves on a caulescent stem to about 6 inches long. The leaves are silvery with a slight blush of red at anthesis. (Red in spite of its yellow ‘Druid’ parent) The flowers are two toned, blue and white with red sepals. A nice plant.

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 ON C.I.T.E.S. AND CANNOT BE EXPORTED

This cross of xerographica x brachycaulos has been made before and at least one clone is registered as “Betty.”  This plant, however, is not the same, though of course, you’d expect similarities.  Our clone most closely resembles the xerographica parent in the foliage, with broad, channeled, fairly stiff, curling, silvery leaves.  The inflorescence is tall with many upright greenish branches and long scape bracts that blush slightly red at anthesis.  A nice large showy plant!

A hybrid of Tillandsia aeranthos x gardneri. Fairly stiff, silvery-green leaves in a full 8 inch rosette. Pretty pink floral bracts. Easy to grow and prolific.

A spectacular hybrid by Steve Correale is a cultivar of chiapensis x botterii.  A large grower with a loose rosette shape that can reach 30 inches across and 20 inches tall.  The leaves are thick and leathery, heavily scurfed with silver trichomes, silvery but tinting pink in strong light.  The inflorescence can be 30 inches tall with long, thick, upright and curving branches of pink.  Bizarre and different but also beautiful. 

*VIPP plants are Offsets

An early hybrid (1960’s) by Charles Wiley is a cultivar of (seleriana x bulbosa). The cross was made in Eastern Germany and is a relic of the Cold War era. Aside from this, the plant is a handsome combination of both parents. More bulbosa-like it is however stouter with more leaves and has a slight scurff unlike the bulbosa parent. The inflorescence is a short rachis with red branches and a corresponding blush in the upper leaves at anthesis.