In 1986 a plant flowered in the Berkely Botanic Gardens in California only 28 years old. (refer BSI Journal 1987 page 25).
In 1997 in the Brazilian Journal, Harry Luther named a Puya pusilla where the plant AND inflorescence equalled in length the flower of Puya raimondii showing there is great variation in the genus Puya! By the way, P. pusilla is now P. minima.
In 1999 a supplement to Die Bromelie on P. raimondii was published and discussed its widespread distribution in Bolivia.
Enough of this technical stuff! How do you get there? There are other National Parks but let us just visit one.
Rodales is about 300 kms north of Lima in a long south to north valley which has black mountains to the left (no snow!) but white capped to the right. At about 4000m altitude you are there."
 Sign at the entrance to Rodales National Park |
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| Puya raimondii in habitat at Rodales National Park, Peru | |||
 Jamie Bush is dwarfed by a giant Puya raimondii |
 Dying skirts of Puya raimondii |
 A young Puya raimondii |
 The leaves of Puya raimondii |
 A teenage Puya raimondii |
 Coming full circle |
 The beautiful flowers of Puya raimondii |