This species native to medium to high altitudes in semi-arid scrub in Ecuador and northern Peru is in my opinion a new taxa. As an epiphyte or saxicole, it is consistently a smallish plant with slender, gray leaves to about 8 inches tall in a leafy, upright rosette. The inflorescence is on a tall, slender scape and consists of a cluster of light red branches with blue flowers.

The controversial side of this species is that it also can be found as a really much larger growing plant with an open rosette of very stiff leaves and a much more robust, bright red inflorescence. Similar, but very different in size and appearance. You never find plants in between these extremes and the two ‘forms’ are often found growing together. I believe that this smaller form is a different species or at least a distinct form or subspecies.

Anyway, this is still a showy plant and easy to cultivate but still enjoys cooler temps and pure water if available. That said, we have successfully cultivated this plant here in Florida for over 20 years.

Tillandsia (streptophylla x bulbosa) x streptophylla. Bulbous bottom with tapered wavy green leaves that blush pink when blooming. Branched inforescence with multiple pinkish-red bracts and purple flowers.  

A clone of (seleriana x tricolor) by Bill Timm. A unusual hybrid that produces a bulbous base with upright, terete leaves dusted with silvery trichomes. The inflorescence is branched, rose-red with blue flowers and emerges from the leaves to one side of the rosette.

A natural hybrid of fasciculata x hondurensis from Honduras. A medium sized silvery plant, with a bright-red branched inflorescence. Found rarely among the multitudes of T. hondurensis, which live on exposed cliffs in the mountainous central part of the country.

Tillandsia 'Kaylan' (caputmedusae x baileyi) A cute hybrid with a nice mix of both parents. An easy grower, likes bright filtered light.

A large and showy cross of (variabilis x capitata 'Yellow') by Bill Timm. The plant can reach over 24 inches across in an open rosette shape with strappy, green leaves dusted with silver trichomes. The inflorescence is very tall, can exceed 24 inches and is yellowish with up to ten upright branches and long, narrow, leaf-like scape bracts. The overall look is pinkish to reddish-orange with yellowish sepals tipped in red. Flowers are long and tubular, bluish-purple.

A very nice specimen of this variable species from Mexico, with grayish-green leaves in an upright rosette. The inflorescence is a torch-like head of bright yellow bracts that is long lasting and colorful. Much larger than the standard capitata form, this one can grow up to 24 inches!

A lithophyte in nature, it can be grown mounted or potted in a well-draining mix.