Tropical Selections

More Shots

2010-04-12T08:34:00.000-07:00

I did some photo shoots of my Tills over the weekend. The results came out nice and crisp. Now I have a dillema which is to keep out of so many photos!

My Tills arrangement.

More Photos

2010-04-06T06:44:00.000-07:00

T. crocata var tristis

T. leonamiana

Random Shots of My Tills.

2010-04-05T06:49:00.000-07:00

Did some photo shoots over the weekend. Mostly are mounted plants om hanging wire.

What I like most of Tills is that they are fuss free and grow almost readily on anything, not like hanging potted plants that need soil to grow.

Some shots in no particular order.

T. chiapensis

T. Hailey's Comet

T. didisticha

T. caput-medusae Sonoran Snow

T. ionantha Feugo

Colorful Neoregelias

2010-03-17T06:44:00.000-07:00

I'll keep this simple. Perhaps it's me or us humans love to see colorful stuffs.

All these are selective complex hybrids by Grant Groves. They come in an array of colors from light pink to vivid purple. Medium size plant not exceeding 18" to the max. Love bright lights but not direct sunlight or they'll bleach out easily.

Here they are:

Some macro shots

2010-03-06T21:21:00.000-08:00

Just few shots of flowers & leaf close-up.

T. bergeri

2010-03-06T20:53:00.000-08:00

This is a highly vriable species. I must admit that. Although the appearance looks the same among themselves and with T. aeranthos but their flowers appeared differently. Usually they range from pale lilac to deep violet. It came from Southern Brazil to Northern Argentina region. A caulescent plant where it grow saxicolous up to 75 m alt. in its' natural habitat.

Some Curly Stuff

2010-02-21T21:44:00.000-08:00

Due to the current dry and hot weather, most of my plants are showing signs of dehydration. Although they are watered daily I guess the water transpiration is greater than the amount received. Here are some photos showing curly leaves which will never happen in the wet monsoon season.
My xerographica hybrid.

Another softer leaf form.

I like this most. It's a concolor X streptophylla. Usually the leaves are erect and recurved inward toward the base of the plant.

Some photos along the way.

2010-02-14T19:54:00.000-08:00

Some snap shots taken on my free time during the holidays.

Twins

2010-02-14T19:16:00.000-08:00

Well.....not exactly. Both were xerographica allright reputed to be gems in Tillandsia world but not anymore. Although it's under CITES, these plants are quite easily available locally. Probably this is true to their popularity at one time.

What I like most is they are very adaptable to any location. Both were mounted to the trunk of the palm at very young age. They only get afternoon sun. Very heavy feeders though. Translated to no food....no growth. Sigh! Very silvery with curly, contorted leaves. Now they are about 20" diameter. hopefully both can reach 30" dia. before blooming.

This one plant is definetely my all time favourite Till. Showy and yet hard to kill.

T. filifolia

2010-01-26T05:45:00.000-08:00

Usually a stemless plant but does has a stem for a very old non flowering specimen. Plenty of green needle like rossette spreading leaves reaching not more than 12" diameter plant. Its' type locality is from central Mexico to Costa Rica gorwing epiphytically on trees at 100m-2000m alt.

Nice odd looking plant especially for the bulbous forming leaf bracts.

Druid Revisited

2009-12-29T06:53:00.000-08:00

It's amazing how a simple plant with simple flower spike can be so beautiful. I manage to capture it in full bloom before all the 3 flower spikes were spent.

A chandelier?

2009-12-28T06:06:00.001-08:00

Just sharing my T. funckiana coming into bloom. It's amazing how a simple plant can grow to such wonderful shape. All frosty white with red flowers emerging out. Looks like light bulbs for a chandelier! Hmmmmm..................

A fasciculata hybrid

2009-12-09T05:38:00.000-08:00

When I initially got this plant., I never really expect it to have horizontal banding like an Aech. chantinii. Interestingly the banding become more prominant as the plant mature. Now, after many years of waiting, it finally came into bloom. The inflorescent is somewhat pulled down to the center suggesting certain characteristic like ionantha. But to my surprise, this plant do carry fully erect multispikes of a fasciculata.

A robust growing plant which appreciate good sunlight and plenty of space. Nice coral red inflorescence. I haven't seen the true flower yet to determine it's identity.

Groups in bloom

2009-12-02T06:41:00.000-08:00

The foreground is T. roland-gosselinii accompanied by a group of blushing brachycaulos from behind. Deep green flanked with bright red.....Hmmm kinda reminding me Christmas is approaching.

Aechmea contracta

2009-12-02T06:19:00.000-08:00

This is one interesting plant in the genus of Aechmea. The leaves are oblong with dark brown or sometimes black spots at it's leaves sheat. The inflorescensce is very pendant, usually longer than the plant itself. Have pink bract complemented with pale yellow flowers. It grow best in shady area as the leaves are soft and fleshy.

Random plants in bloom

2009-11-29T05:40:00.001-08:00

Some blooming plants after my long absent from last posting. Mostly are ionanthas though. It seem that ionanthas are seasonal bloomers especially towards the end of the year especially in the month of Disember.

T. capitata Silver Rose.

2009-11-10T05:04:00.000-08:00

Yet one of may other form of capitata. This variety gets a very frosty pink coloration at anthesis. A small plant with white silvery many arching leaves. Like any other capitata, there are no prominent colorful bracts to show off it's bloom.

True identity

2009-10-31T07:37:00.000-07:00

This plant was bought in as T. ionantha X brachycaulos. I'm quite happy when it started to show sign of flowering a couple of weeks ago. Now, with the whole inflorescensce has finally emerge out I'm begining to have doubt on its true identity. I suspect this hybrid could be a cross between ionantha with caput medusae rather than brachycaulos. Note the multi spike inflorescence? That's not the characteristic of brachycaulos.

Whatever it was, it's a very succullent fat plant though. Can adapt to direct morning without any burns.

High Voltage???

2009-10-27T07:23:00.001-07:00

This is a selected cultivar from cross of Hannibal Lector and Foster Pink Tips. A medium sized plant measuring about 15" width. A very tight plain green background leaves with many red cross banding giving this plant a kind of hypnotic effect. The only interesting character I like in this plant!

A frosty pink bloom

2009-10-26T06:46:00.000-07:00

A hybrid of caput medusae with ehlersiana. It doesn't form any very broad pseudobulb. Look kind of like an over grown caput-medusae but the inflorescence is totally different from the typical of caput. A medium sized plant with its' velvety trichomes filled slender long leaves. Some what dry loving plant that tolerate plenty of sunlight.

T. streptophylla X ?

2009-10-24T08:01:00.000-07:00

When I bought this plant, it was labelled as T. streptophylla X xerographica. From the initial untill now I still have doubt on it's identity. The leaves is too soft for a xerographica hybrid. I find this hybrid is leaning towards streptophylla parentage. There are no prominent formation pseudobulb but plenty of curling leaves.

Anyway, recently one of my plant is coming into bloom. Can hardly wait to see it full bloom inflorescence. Here are some photos to share with.

T. mallemontii

2009-10-24T07:41:00.000-07:00

This plant look no difference from the ordinary T. usneoides. Actually there are few 'lost' strands of T. usneoides for comparision!. It looks kind of unattractive messy ball of weeds. But the attractive part is the voilet blue large showy flowers that makes it look unique. I have seen it being plants en mass. Just imagine a silver background with many bluish purple star.........

Not a fussy plant. It require plenty of light and regular watering. The best part is it flowers very freely.

Something Black

2009-10-22T06:46:00.000-07:00

This is one of the blackest and darkest Neoregelia hybrids ever found among bromeliophiles. It's called Neo. Pitch Black. Very handsomel dark broad leafed plant growing up to about 15" diameter in full rosette form under bright light. I couldn't decide which picture look best. Well, just post both up for appreciation. Enjoy!

Another Vriesea

2009-10-20T07:22:00.000-07:00

Well, couldn't get over it yet. Here's another one. It's called Snows of Mauna Kea. It's leaves have pure white base color with fine green tessalations.

Intricate leaf banding

2009-10-20T07:06:00.000-07:00

Thought of posting other bromeliads rather than Tillandsias. Let me introduce this Vriesea. It's a complex hybrid of fosteriana and heiroglyphica. What intersting about this plant is the intricate leaf patterns with much of tessalations running across each leaves. As a whole, it creates a hypnotising spiralling effect. Most of these hybrids are famous for their leaf patterns instead fo flowers.

T. ehlersiana

2009-10-12T07:02:00.000-07:00

This is one of the fattest, bulbous Tillandsia apart from T. bulbosa. It grows to a girth of about the size of a softball. Some may grow larger. Somewhat a xeric grower that need plentiful of sunlight to have those fuzzy looking and ofcourse the 'tennis ball' look!

It's native to the state of Chiapas, Mexico at about 700m altitude where it grows at granite gorges.

Something nice on Sunday Afternoon

2009-10-10T22:10:00.000-07:00

Just capturing the effect of sunlight shining through their leaves. This is what I like most about bromeliads, their leaves are always glowing when hit by sunlight. The plant featured at the centre is T. tomasellii, a cousin of xerographica with longer and slimmer leaves.

T. tricholepis

2009-10-01T07:44:00.000-07:00

One thing I like about Tillandsias is that sometimes they don't look like any bromeliads at all. This is a small caulescent plant with needle like spiky leaves. Its' appearence makes it look like a moss or lycopodium. It grow well in our loeland humid enviroment although this plant grows naturally at 2300m alt. in Brazil, Bolivia, Paraguay and Argentina.

Aechmea brevicollis.

2009-09-15T07:24:00.000-07:00

One of the most unique form where it has distichious leaves arrangement in the genus. A small plant not exceeding 6" in overall length and height with stoloniferous growth habit. It is native in Columbia, Brazil and Venezuela at altitude from 100 to 3oom above sea level. It produces small cream yellowish flower with attractive.orange bract. Much sought after for bromeliads fancier.

T. ionantha 'Rubra'

2009-09-12T07:15:00.000-07:00

Yet another form of ionantha. So called ionantha rubra. Few of mine is flowering right now. Here's one of it. Slightly larger and rounder than 'Peanut'. Blushes red right now!

T. ionantha 'Peanut'

2009-09-08T07:04:00.000-07:00

Yet another form of ionantha. This form is the predessor of var. stricta with tighter leaves forming or so called forma fastigiata. Ususally this form is simply called ionantha 'Peanut' Perhaps due to it looks like a peanut. Average size is around 1-2" to the max. Blushes bright red at anthesis with bluish purple flower. A shade growing plant which appreciate wit some period of sunlight preferally in the morning.

T. ionantha var stricta

2009-09-06T07:51:00.000-07:00

This is a narrower leaf version of ionantha cvs. Have many stiff upright pointing leaves. A slow grower that blushes to striking red color upon flowering. The average size is about 3" tall, just slightly larger than it's Mexican cousins.

T. albida

2009-09-05T06:46:00.000-07:00

Another caulescent type of Tillandsia with stiff white leaves. It rather pup very freely. T. albida prefer to grow in full sun with somewhat dry enviroment where it inhabit on large boulders in semi arid regions of Central Mexico.

T. Amigo

2009-08-30T06:52:00.000-07:00

One of my favourite pendant type inflorescence hybrid. Supposingly a hybrid between T. jalisco-monticola and T. rothii This hybrid was created by one of the prominent hybridiser in Tillandsiodeae sub-family, John Arden. A large plant with frosty green very recurved leaves following T. rothii. Mine gave flower early this year. Had been 8 months already and still going strong. The pictures were taken at different stages of it's blooming cycle.

xerographica!

2009-08-30T06:24:00.000-07:00

One of the more popular Tillandsia. Considered a must have for a Tillandsia collector. I think this is due to this plant is under CITES regulation. No matter how, this is a beautiful plant. It can take fair amount of sunlight. Will curl up in a tight ball if left with slight dehydration. The inflorescence is in pastel green at initial stage slowly change to light orangy yellow at latter stage. Very showy plant.

T. funckiana

2009-08-30T05:56:00.000-07:00

A small caulescent plant that clump very freely. One of very few Tillandsia that have red flowers. Also, a close relative of T. andreana. Came from the region of Venezuela at altitude range from 300-600m above sea level.

T. stricta

2009-08-28T07:22:00.000-07:00

This is a fine leaf version. It's more elegant and delicate compared to the normal form. A shade loving plant. The inflorescence is more intense in pink coloration and looks globose too.Unfortunately not a ree flowering like its' normal cousin.

T. capitata Maya

2009-08-28T07:07:00.000-07:00

Thought to be a hybrid between capitata Peach and xerographica. Up untill now there's still dispute on its origin. Nevertheless, this is a beautiful cultivar or perhaps hybrid. Rather a medium sized plant with velvety silvery leaves in a full rossette form. This clump have double blooming plants at its peak flowering.

T. ionantha Feugo

2009-08-22T21:57:00.000-07:00

One of the cutest, fastest and the most colorful among all the ionanthas cultivars. A small plant reaches to about 1.5 " when mature. The leaves will turn to brilliant red when at anthesis sprouting bluish purple flower spike. Usually it only produce 3 individual flowers that last for a day or two. A prolific pupper too.

Aechmea chantinii

2009-08-22T21:45:00.000-07:00

I find this is one of the more interesting species in Aechmea. It has prominent silver banding with green background for the leaves but takes to dark brown or almost black color in direct light. The inflorescence is a simple colorful multispike flower with colors range from brilliant red to sometimes pale orange depending on different cultivars.

2009-07-18T07:06:00.000-07:00

I never expect the inflorescence of this hybrid to be so elaborate. Usually it will only have 2 or 3 branching spike but not as many as this. This is a hybrid of duratii and stricta. Traits of both parentage clearly visible here. An interesting beautiful hybrid definetely worth keeping.
The plant.

The inflorescence.

Some update on it's inflorescence....

T. ionantha Druid

2009-04-18T21:11:00.000-07:00

A variant from its' common cousins. It somewhat looks greener and the leaves are more erect. But slowly changes to clear pale yellow with white flowers at athesis ranging from 3-5 numbers.

It was first discoverd near Vera Cruz, Mexico. Personally I find there are few differences again in this variant. Some are in bigger size, some turn to yellowish peach color at flowering. Some have shorter leaves blade but all have white colored flowers.

A rather unique small plant with such color in Tillandsia.

T. rectangula.

2009-04-13T06:40:00.000-07:00

Recently purchased this ball of T. rectangula. A perfect sphere with many spiky contorted leaves makes it somewhat looks like our local 'durian'.

A small miniature grows as epiphytes in dry forest that are closely related to T. funebris. Both species are native in Bolivia to northern Argentina.

Personally I find both looks very similar. They produce minute rusty orangy brown flower heavily scented in the morning.