California Gardens - The Year Round Gardening Site

Puya venusta

Puya venusta is a beautiful plant for the cactus garden or for the silver and gray garden. The prickly arching leaves of this Bromeliad are a show of their own. For the first several years the clump will gradually enlarge until it is about 2 - 4 feet tall and wide. Usually by this time several pups have started. In the Spring Puya venusta produces this stalk of purple flowers, often at more than 6 feet tall. The deep indigo flowers slowly fade to violet. Puya venusta grows quite large and is a bit lethal for a next to the pathway planting. Transplanting without destroying a mature specimen involves significant protection or loss of blood. Puya venusta can grow 4 feet tall plus blooms and 10 or more feet wide. Choose a site adequate for this beauty, it is worth it. Puya venusta is a great plant for attracting hummingbirds, the hummingbirds were chasing each other every which way as long as the plants were blooming. Puya venusta is hardy into the low 20°s F. They can readily be propagated from seed. Though it takes a long time to produce a plant substantial enough to be put out into the garden.

Puya venusta

Deep indigo flowers of Puya venusta - . High resolution photos are part of our garden image collection.

Puya Venusta, Allens Hummingbird

Puya venusta getting the undivided attention of an Allen's Hummingbird. High resolution photos are part of our garden image collection.

Drought tolerant terrestrial Bromeliads featured on this site:
Deuterocohnia brevifolia
Dyckia fosteriana
Puya alpestris
Puya venusta