Puya berteroniana

Scientific name: Puya berteroniana

Common name: Puya

Family: Bromeliaceae

Location

The Chilean section at the lower right area of the Rock Garden.

The large flower stalks (inflorescences) of this magical plant rise from the masses of curling, silvery foliage, displaying deep turquoise blue flowers and in the centre of the flowers, beaming out, are the highly contrasting orange anthers attracting birds, bees and other insects. These flower spikes of Puya berteroniana, the Blue Puya, stand two metres tall, giving a forthright presence to the Chilean section at the lower right area of the Rock Garden. The Blue Puya shows full beauty of colour and form in every way and appears to be from another world.

The seed of this Puya were collected in 1985 by Royal Botanic Gardens staff. One of the collecting sites was in the Vilches Alto National Park near Santiago in central Chile, South America. These particular Puya berteroniana were growing at around 1300m in altitude on exposed rock outcrops on a steep, forested mountain slope. After three years in the nursery and five years in their present site, the flowers appeared for their first time in the late spring of 1993. The plants have continued to grow and multiply and now make a spectacular sight each spring, attracting much attention from our visitors.

With around 185 species, Puya is one of the largest genera in the Pineapple Family, Bromeliaceae. Most of its species are concentrated along the Andes mountain range of South America, some at altitudes up to nearly 5000 metres. Very few Puya species have become popular in cultivation. Puya berteroniana, the Blue Puya, is one of the southernmost species of Puya and consequently more frost-hardy than many of the other species. The silvery, rosette of leaves has hooked prickles running along the edges, which tend to tear rather than scratch. These are presumed to be a defence against browsing animals. Therefore, admire the floral spectacle but do not get too close.