Puya Chilensis

Common name: Puya, Puya coarctata
Height: 2-3m
Growing: medium to fast.
Foliage: evergreen, the leafs are filled with inward pointing needle-sharp spines.
Flowers / Fruits: forming a massive spike up to 4 meters high, filled with metalic-yellow flowers.
Site: sun to light shade
Soil: alkaline to slightly acid, well-drained soil.
Irrigation: few
Hardiness: semi-hardy -5 to -10 ºC

Long description: Puya chilensis is probably one of the fastest growing Chilean Puyas. Chilensis forms a large rosette of slender, pale green, blade-like leaves.The center leaves of the chilensis are usually upright growing. In winter the leaves of the Puya chilensis tend to turn purpulish. Puya chilensis can form great clumps. These clumps will form great spikes, up to 2-3 meters high, with a 1 meter high flower head on top! These flower heads are filled with metalic-yellow or greenish-yellow flowers.