Queen of the Andes: Puya raimondii

[Marius]

Hi Everyone 

Has anyone on here got any experience with growing Puya raimondii?  It looks like quite a spectacular plant - largest of the bromeliads.
I bough one this week and planted it where it should have enough space. It will get full morning and noon sun and afternoon shade. 
 

Any growing tips and comments will be appreciated. 
 

The picture is from the nursery website. I’ll take a picture of it planted. It’s larger than in the picture. 

[Tracy]

50 minutes ago, Marius said:

Hi Everyone 

Has anyone on here got any experience with growing Puya raimondii?  It looks like quite a spectacular plant - largest of the bromeliads.
I bough one this week and planted it where it should have enough space. It will get full morning and noon sun and afternoon shade. 
 

Any growing tips and comments will be appreciated. 
 

The picture is from the nursery website. I’ll take a picture of it planted. It’s larger than in the picture. 

I have no experience with this species of Puya, but have grown a few others over the years.  I just looked this one up, and note that you may never see it bloom based on its normal reproductive cycle.  According to the article I read, in habitat, they can take between 40 - 100 years to achieve maturity and bloom.  It is a moncarpic species.  You might get lucky, as they observed that one plant in the collection at UC Berkeley, here in northern California actually bloomed in a mere 28 years.

My two subspecies of Puya alpestris, which I have posted blooming in the past, have each bloomed once in the last 15 years.  Give this one plenty of room.  I assume it is like the other Puya's and is an extremely vicious plant up close... very tough to week around.  Given the overall size your Puya raimondii will achieve, just make sure to give it sufficient space away from any walkways or areas you may need to access without donning full body armor.  I look forward to seeing your specimen planted out!  Good luck and keep this thread updated on the growth!

[Marius]

11 hours ago, Tracy said:

I have no experience with this species of Puya, but have grown a few others over the years.  I just looked this one up, and note that you may never see it bloom based on its normal reproductive cycle.  According to the article I read, in habitat, they can take between 40 - 100 years to achieve maturity and bloom.  It is a moncarpic species.  You might get lucky, as they observed that one plant in the collection at UC Berkeley, here in northern California actually bloomed in a mere 28 years.

My two subspecies of Puya alpestris, which I have posted blooming in the past, have each bloomed once in the last 15 years.  Give this one plenty of room.  I assume it is like the other Puya's and is an extremely vicious plant up close... very tough to week around.  Given the overall size your Puya raimondii will achieve, just make sure to give it sufficient space away from any walkways or areas you may need to access without donning full body armor.  I look forward to seeing your specimen planted out!  Good luck and keep this thread updated on the growth!

I think it should have enough space. I wonder how fast the plant increases in size. 

[Jonathan]

Hey Marius, like Tracy, I've grown other species, and was going to give you some general advice, but after googling raimondii, I'd have to say they're a completely different beast!

I was going mention that they form a big clump and every head is monocarpic but the plant keeps pupping...but no...these look very different. Although a bigger plant they actually look like they might be less trouble than the clumping species, which as Tracy mentioned are a nightmare to weed around...in fact I don't even try any more!

Below,  just for fun, is a pic of my two P chilensis flowering a couple of years ago after 12 years in the ground. Love these plants but they're a handful...

 

[Marius]

9 hours ago, Jonathan said:

Hey Marius, like Tracy, I've grown other species, and was going to give you some general advice, but after googling raimondii, I'd have to say they're a completely different beast!

I was going mention that they form a big clump and every head is monocarpic but the plant keeps pupping...but no...these look very different. Although a bigger plant they actually look like they might be less trouble than the clumping species, which as Tracy mentioned are a nightmare to weed around...in fact I don't even try any more!

Below,  just for fun, is a pic of my two P chilensis flowering a couple of years ago after 12 years in the ground. Love these plants but they're a handful...

 

Thanks for the reply Jonathan. I think that I’ll try to find some of the other species. Yours are beautiful. 

[Tracy]

Here is a link to my most recent bloom of Puya alpestris: 

A much smaller and less dramatic species blooms annually and some are putting up inflorescence right now,.  Puya mirabilis

[Jonathan]

1 hour ago, Tracy said:

Here is a link to my most recent bloom of Puya alpestris: 

A much smaller and less dramatic species blooms annually and some are putting up inflorescence right now,.  Puya mirabilis

Hi Tracy, having read your old thread I'm now questioning the identity of one of my other two Puya's. One is P venusta, the other supposedly P berteroniana, so may be P alpestris subsp zoellneri I guess. Neither have flowered yet, despite being same age and size as the two chilensis.

I'm thinking about dividing some pups off all three species - any advice, or just hackaway and wear eye protection!?!

[Tracy]

5 hours ago, Jonathan said:

Hi Tracy, having read your old thread I'm now questioning the identity of one of my other two Puya's. One is P venusta, the other supposedly P berteroniana, so may be P alpestris subsp zoellneri I guess. Neither have flowered yet, despite being same age and size as the two chilensis.

I'm thinking about dividing some pups off all three species - any advice, or just hackaway and wear eye protection!?!

Jonathan,  I believe you can split off a pup of you want to create a new colony.   As far as trying to initiate flowering, I have no advice other than patience. 

I have a Puya venusta in the ground in my rental property that has not flowered in the 15 years since it went in the ground.   It is a moment in time to celebrate when these bloom.  Looking forward to the day both you and Marius have some photos to share!

[happypalms]

What a plant incredible. They look like a xanthorrhoea. And they look like they grow just as slow as as well. 

[Jonathan]

6 minutes ago, happypalms said:

What a plant incredible. They look like a xanthorrhoea. And they look like they grow just as slow as as well. 

They really do! I had the same thought, but the flower is outrageous. @Marius might need to live to 120 though!

[Marius]

22 hours ago, Jonathan said:

They really do! I had the same thought, but the flower is outrageous. @Marius might need to live to 120 though!

LOL. Indeed 

[happypalms]

On 6/14/2025 at 8:40 PM, Jonathan said:

They really do! I had the same thought, but the flower is outrageous. @Marius might need to live to 120 though!

If @Marius starts an açai diet daily he’s in with a chance to see it flower.

[Marius]

3 hours ago, happypalms said:

If @Marius starts an açai diet daily he’s in with a chance to see it flower.

I’m not familiar with that diet, but it can only be an improvement.

[Jonathan]

5 hours ago, Marius said:

I’m not familiar with that diet, but it can only be an improvement.

A man can't live on Boerewors and Biltong alone!

[Marius]

9 hours ago, Jonathan said:

A man can't live on Boerewors and Biltong alone!

I’m not so sure. I’m up for trying it