Perennials > Puya > Puya chilensis > Puya chilensis
Puya chilensis
Sheep-eating Plant, Chilean Puya
Origin: Native to the arid hillsides of Chile.
| Family |
| Bromeliaceae |
| Genus |
| Puya |
| Species |
| chilensis |
| Category |
| Perennials |
| Synonyms |
| Pitcairnia chilensis, Pitcairnia coarctata, Pourretia coarctata, Puya coarctata, Puya gigantea, Puya quillotana, Puya suberosa |
| USDA Hardiness Zone |
| 9a - 10b |
| Canadian Hardiness Zone |
| Requires cold season protection under glass. |
| RHS Hardiness Zone |
| H5 - H1c |
| Temperature (°C) |
| (?6.7) - (+10) |
| Temperature (°F) |
| 20 - 50 |
| Height |
| 2 m |
| Spread |
| 2 m |
Photographs
Cultivars
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Description and Growing Information
Flowering Period
| General Description |
| An evergreen perennial growing to 2 m by 2 m . |
| Landscape |
| In potted succulent collections, in rock gardens, as a patio or potted plant. |
| Cultivation |
| Grow in sandy, loamy and clay soils and prefers well-drained soil. It cannot grow in the shade. It prefers dry soil and can tolerate drought. |
| Shape |
| Heap up into a rounded pile. |
| Growth |
| Slow |
| Habitat |
| Arid hillsides in the Andes, often spreading across large areas. |
| Leaf Description |
| Large, dense rosettes of grey-green, strap-like leaves edged with hooked spines. |
| Flower Description |
| Green or yellow flowers borne on spikes up to 2 m high. The species is hermaphrodite and is pollinated by birds. The plant is not self-fertile. |
| Notable Specimens |
| Trebah Gardens, Mawnan Smith, Falmouth, Cornwall, United Kingdom. |
| Propagation |
| By seed or division of offsets in the spring. |
| Ethnobotanical Uses (Disclaimer) |
| Very young shoots are eaten in salads. |
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