Tillandsia cyanea

[mrhappyrotter]

I don't have a lot of slippers or orchids in general in bloom this time of year. But the bromeliads are stepping up their game, which again reaffirms my belief that they're great orchid companions.

The other broms aren't quite as far along in terms of spiking as this T. cyanea. In truth, this plant isn't quite in bloom yet, as the first flower hasn't emerged from between the pink bracts.

The flowers are giants in the Tillandsia world. This is basically the Tilly equivalent of P. kovachii. Flower color is sometimes described as blue, but in truth they are deep, vivid purple. The fragrance, while variable in strength between clones can be quite intense, smelling of clove. This plant is quite fragrant, and it's lovely.

The foliage is nice and grassy, and mostly lacking the bright, silvery-grey scales that adorn the leaves of many other bromeliads. The dark green leaves develop a deep, luxurious red blush at the base that ends in bright red stripes when I grow it bright enough. The color in the leaves remains year round, so it's not just the blushing at flower time that occurs in other bromeliad species.

I had been expecting the largest growth to spike up for awhile, but I'm surprised its two smaller siblings are also sending out spikes. So, it should be a good prolonged show this year. Exciting!

 

[SlipperFan]

Nice color contrast!

 

[Happypaphy7]

So that is the full name!
I love this plant. I always called it Tillan because that's how it was sold back home. I see this often and have bought a couple of times as a kid.

I love the appearance as is now, but even better when the bright violet flowers come out of that big pink structure (whatever the name is for that part???). never realized nor sensed that the flowers were scented.
Strong smell of clove would be repelling to me. I like just hint of clove in certain dish, like beaf soup and stuff. lol

 

[Rick]

Very cool

I have one of these that blooms just about every year. The blooms are so bright but short lived they remind me of fireworks.

I have a weird one in some kind of reproductive spike. Orthophytum gurkenii
I don't think its a flower spike but a spike that produces clusters of pups (keikies in orchid speak). I wonder if it will die after it does this.

 

[mrhappyrotter]

Orthophytum gurkenii
I don't think its a flower spike but a spike that produces clusters of pups (keikies in orchid speak). I wonder if it will die after it does this.

I don't recall for that species, but I believe the mother plant will die eventually after forming the pups. I know Dykias continue to bloom from the same growth repeatedly, but they're the exception and not the rule when it comes to bromeliads.