Tillandsia Califano Too
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Tillandsia Califano Too
baileyi x ionantha, Foster, 1965.
From BCR ... "Imported to AU from USA in 1970's as a natural hybrid of ionantha x capitata which is incorrect."
Ed. ... "Compared with Califano, Califano Too has longer (5" instead of 3") arching (not upright slightly bulbous) leaves. "
See also notes under T. pruinosa.

Ian Hook 11/19 as ionantha x baileyi (Nat.Hyb) ex. Chris Larson
Ian Hook ... "Natural hybrids should have the presumed parents listed alphabetically, so this lead me to 'Califano' - "Natural hybrid Northern Mexico"
But a measurement of leaf length and the arching form indicates this is the Australian import 'Califano Too'. "
Vic Przetocki. BCR image.

Tillandsia ‘Califano Too’ by Derek Butcher.
In 1993 I obtained a plant from Margaret Paterson of Gympie, Queensland called T. ionantha x capitata and she asked me to check it out because the parentage seemed wrong.
In 1999 it flowered in my collection and I thought at first it was T. ‘Califano’ which is a hybrid made by Foster of T. ionantha x baileyi. The only difference seemed to be in the longer arching leaves. I contacted Margaret again.
Apparently her plant had originally come to her from Ann Boon in Sydney in the 1970’s as a natural hybrid named T. ionantha x capitata. The plant originally came from the USA but both Margaret and I believe that T. capitata had nothing to do with the making of this hybrid. Regrettably we cannot trace who found this alleged hybrid in the wild but if we were trying to name it botanically it would surely be Tillandsia aff. ‘Califano’. This solution is unavailable to us so we are calling it T. ‘Califano Too’.


Note: The plant below, originally as T. pruinosa var califano, has now been given the registered name T. 'Len Summers'. June 2020.
Mark Supple 01/20 as T. pruinosa var califano
Mark Supple ... "I’ve been going though all the notes on this plant, not much on the disc about this plant but quite a bit on the B.inA. Australian website, got this plant back in 2008 from Len Summers as T. pruinosa var califano, don’t want to reopen a can of worms but has someone come up with a name for this plant originally from Maurice I’m lead to believe. Just putting it out there as I have quite a few now as you see in the pictures."
Steve Molnar ... "This one may also be known as T. circinata. The ones I have that look very similar to yours are all named circinata. Maybe those more knowledgeable can confirm?"
Geoff Lawn ... "You could try T. 'Califano' & 'Califano Too' in the BCR, neither of which have anything to do with T. pruinosa nor "circinata"."
Peter Tristram ... "I must admit that your plant looks to have pruinosa in it. Nice clumps too and standing up to the incessant 40+ days. Good luck with that can of worms!"
Derek Butcher ... "I think there may be a link with 'Not Califano too' (see recent emails) which is still waiting for a proper registered name.
Steve. circinnata is a name lost in synonymy under streptophylla and I suggest you put some comment on your label. You can have fun checking where you got your plant and try to identify it."


Updated 16/06/20