Puya alpestris was my first bromeliad, planted in the ground here in Z8 Las Cruces last February. Handled its first winter well, though there was some dispute (from what I could tell) about how low it would handle. It wasn't a really cold winter this year -- so we'll see about its long term viability.
I am hoping it will bloom this summer so my wife will stop wondering why I planted it. But I guess that is asking a lot...
puya alpestris in Z8
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- Bulbil
- Posts: 65
- Joined: Thu May 14, 2015 9:18 am
- Location: Las Cruces, NM (8a)
puya alpestris in Z8
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- Puya alpestris after first winter
- puya alpestris (1 year).JPG (159.06 KiB) Viewed 1718 times
- Melt in the Sun
- Ready to Bolt
- Posts: 2062
- Joined: Mon Feb 24, 2014 3:41 pm
- Location: Tucson, AZ
- USDA Zone: 9b
Re: puya alpestris in Z8
How cold did it get this year? I've always kept mine covered below 30ish, since I am unsure how low it could take.
Mine has been in the ground for 5 1/2 years now and still no blooms; I got it about the same size as yours It started clumping after a year or two and now is a bit of an ugly mess, with wind-blown garbage always daring me to reach in a grab it. Honestly, it takes up a fair bit of space and is the ugliest plant in the yard! I still hope it will all be worth it one of these years.
Mine has been in the ground for 5 1/2 years now and still no blooms; I got it about the same size as yours It started clumping after a year or two and now is a bit of an ugly mess, with wind-blown garbage always daring me to reach in a grab it. Honestly, it takes up a fair bit of space and is the ugliest plant in the yard! I still hope it will all be worth it one of these years.
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- Bulbil
- Posts: 65
- Joined: Thu May 14, 2015 9:18 am
- Location: Las Cruces, NM (8a)
Re: puya alpestris in Z8
The coldest night this year was 15F. Some of the leaf damage in the pic, is actually hail damage from the summer; but some is from the cold.
Disheartening to hear that yours hasn't bloomed. I've been planning on keeping the suckers trimmed out a bit, but don't know how feasible that is.
Disheartening to hear that yours hasn't bloomed. I've been planning on keeping the suckers trimmed out a bit, but don't know how feasible that is.
- Melt in the Sun
- Ready to Bolt
- Posts: 2062
- Joined: Mon Feb 24, 2014 3:41 pm
- Location: Tucson, AZ
- USDA Zone: 9b
Re: puya alpestris in Z8
15 huh...sounds like I can stop worrying about it. Thanks for that info!
On another forum someone told me that it took 8 years from seed to first bloom, in inland California. So, I'm hoping mine will go sometime soon. They bloom in April in Los Angeles, so I am keeping an eye on mine right now...
On another forum someone told me that it took 8 years from seed to first bloom, in inland California. So, I'm hoping mine will go sometime soon. They bloom in April in Los Angeles, so I am keeping an eye on mine right now...
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- Bulbil
- Posts: 65
- Joined: Thu May 14, 2015 9:18 am
- Location: Las Cruces, NM (8a)
Re: puya alpestris in Z8
I had heard five years from seed, but since I don't know how old my plant is that info wasn't so informative. Annie's Annuals says that theirs (Bay area) bloomed in its second year in the ground. So I was hoping for at least third year in the ground. Guess not
- Melt in the Sun
- Ready to Bolt
- Posts: 2062
- Joined: Mon Feb 24, 2014 3:41 pm
- Location: Tucson, AZ
- USDA Zone: 9b
Re: puya alpestris in Z8
Just as a bit of encouragement here's mine in all it's glory:
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- 20160305_144432_resized.jpg (169.85 KiB) Viewed 1637 times