Puya raimondii - Queen Of The Bromeliads, Queen Of The Andes, Titanka, Titanca, Bromeliad Raimond Seeds

Description

Species threatened with extinction, red list of the iucn. The biggest bromeliad in the world. The biggest cluster of flowers in the world.

There are more than 3,000 species of bromeliads, and this is the king; with more than 10 meters of height, puya raimondii is the biggest bromeliad of the world. A living fossil.

A single plant can produce between 8,000 and 20,000 flowers for a single specimen.

The queen of the Andes is an endemic species of the Andes in Peru and Bolivia. It occurs in the turkey in the mountains of the white mountain range (in the national park huascarán), later in the black mountain range in punta winchus. In Bolivia, it occurs in the altiplano plateau.

In its natural habitat, it grows on the slopes of the rocky mountains, at an altitude of 3500 to 4800 meters above sea level.

Note: species currently cultivated in the botanical garden of the University of California (near sea level) has already flourished.

It blooms for 3 months and during this period is pollinated by several species of hummingbirds. It reproduces only by seeds, it does not create stolons like most in its kind. Lives for 80 – 150 years.

Puya raimondii is a terrestrial bromeliad from the mountains, this relative of pineapple, like most bromeliads, dies after flowering and, unlike most bromeliads, does not breed by pups, only by seed.

It grows on soil that promotes good drainage like most cacti and, despite coming from an arid climate, can tolerate frequent watering should the soil run out quickly. Under proper and correct conditions, it is an easy and low maintenance plant.

A rare and magnificent specimen, which despite being a high altitude plant, has prospered satisfactorily near sea level.