I know nothing about this plant Puya yakespala

[happypalms]

I managed to hold of a puya yakespala, I have no idea about there cultivation requirements, so any information on how to grow these word looking bromeliad look alike plants would be greatly appreciated iam sure someone out there must grow them. 

[Jonathan]

Not familiar with this particular species Richard, but quick google search says they're native to the Andes in Argentina and Bolivia. I've got a couple of other species, and they like full sun, good drainage and plenty of space, because they get big and very spikey. True xerophytes, so don't over water them.

[Tracy]

12 hours ago, happypalms said:

I managed to hold of a puya yakespala, I have no idea about there cultivation requirements, so any information on how to grow these word looking bromeliad look alike plants would be greatly appreciated iam sure someone out there must grow them. 

I am growing a couple of different Puya species, but not the one you have.  As Jonathon mentioned, give them room; like other bromeliads they want to form a colony.  The genus is known for having very aggressively armed leaves.  Weeding around them is dangerous, particularly the larger growing species.  Flowers on some species can be spectacular, but require years of patience in between flowering.

Mine are grown without direct irrigation, they get water from adjacent plants on drip, rain (we get about 10" /year here on average) and a little hose squirt once in a while.   I grow with Aloes, Encephalartos genus Cycads and other drought tolerant plants.  I'm growing in fast draining soil too, so water doesn't stick around long when they do get a drink.  Here is a little background on some different Puya species I'm growing and their blooming history:

https://www.palmtalk.org/forum/topic/74913-puya-bloom-after-12-years-in-the-ground/#comment-1076416

You can see a little about Puya Yakespala on iNaturalist too:

https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/847372-Puya-yakespala

Good luck and get some welding gloves if you ever plan to weed around it... my wife has me get out my safety glasses too.

[happypalms]

7 hours ago, Jonathan said:

Not familiar with this particular species Richard, but quick google search says they're native to the Andes in Argentina and Bolivia. I've got a couple of other species, and they like full sun, good drainage and plenty of space, because they get big and very spikey. True xerophytes, so don't over water them.

I have already discovered they are quite deadly. I would ask you the question about heat seeing as it’s from the Andes, but you don’t get the extreme temperatures I get. Full sun and good drainage it can have and dry conditions along with space it is.

[happypalms]

4 hours ago, Tracy said:

I am growing a couple of different Puya species, but not the one you have.  As Jonathon mentioned, give them room; like other bromeliads they want to form a colony.  The genus is known for having very aggressively armed leaves.  Weeding around them is dangerous, particularly the larger growing species.  Flowers on some species can be spectacular, but require years of patience in between flowering.

Mine are grown without direct irrigation, they get water from adjacent plants on drip, rain (we get about 10" /year here on average) and a little hose squirt once in a while.   I grow with Aloes, Encephalartos genus Cycads and other drought tolerant plants.  I'm growing in fast draining soil too, so water doesn't stick around long when they do get a drink.  Here is a little background on some different Puya species I'm growing and their blooming history:

https://www.palmtalk.org/forum/topic/74913-puya-bloom-after-12-years-in-the-ground/#comment-1076416

You can see a little about Puya Yakespala on iNaturalist too:

https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/847372-Puya-yakespala

Good luck and get some welding gloves if you ever plan to weed around it... my wife has me get out my safety glasses too.

Thanks @Tracy how much room are we talking about? And thanks for the links, it will be an interesting plant to grow. 
Your wife may be onto something there safety glasses, it will save her a trip to hospital with you, and it will save your eyes, we only get two eyes and can’t replace them. 

[Tracy]

7 hours ago, happypalms said:

Thanks @Tracy how much room are we talking about? And thanks for the links, it will be an interesting plant to grow. 
Your wife may be onto something there safety glasses, it will save her a trip to hospital with you, and it will save your eyes, we only get two eyes and can’t replace them. 

Since a single plant will have pups over time the colony just keeps growing unless you occasionally cut it back by removing some new growth.  Ultimately you decide how much space they can take over.  How quickly this occurs depends on how large an individual plant is.  My Puya miribilis has crowns on individual plants which are about 1' wide and high...it is a smaller species in the genus.  The larger ssp of Puya alpestris has crowns growing nearly 3' high and about 2 1/2' wide.  Consequently,  it took up more space quicker.