Puya chilensis

Molina

Cardon, Chilean puya, Chagual

Bromeliaceae Edible: Leaves 1,718 iNaturalist observations

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Summary

Puya chilensis is a species of terrestrial bromeliad. It is endemic to central Chile.

Description

A small plant which forms a trunk with age. It grows 4.5 m high and spreads 2 m wide. The leaves are green and narrow and triangle shaped. There are strong teeth along the edge. They form a dense ring. The flower stem is 3.5 m high. It is erect and stout. The flower head is 100 cm long. There are up to 100 side branches each with up to 12 large yellow flowers. The upper part of the branches does not have flowers.

Edible Uses

Very young shoots are eaten raw in salads.

Traditional Uses

The young leaf sprouts are eaten in salads.

This uses section is brief — help expand it

Medicinal Uses

None known

Distribution

It is a subtropical to tropical plant. In Chile it grows from sea level to 2,000 m altitude. It grows in dry and arid areas. It grows in full sun. It suits hardiness zones 10 & 11. It cannot tolerate frost.

Where It Grows

Andes, Australia, Chile*, South America,

Cultivation

Requires a hot dry position. Requires a lime-free soil. Requires a sheltered well-drained position. This species is not very cold-hardy in Britain. However, plants can tolerate infrequent short-lived frosts down to about -5°c and can be grown outdoors in the mildest parts of the country. They are growing well at Probus Gardens in Cornwall where they survived temperatures lower than -6°c in the winter of 1995 - 6. The leaves have large, viciously hooked spines. Is the plant monocarpic? A self-sterile species, it is pollinated by birds in the wild. In cultivation, cross-pollination with P. alpestris can be effective.

Propagation

Sow seed in spring in a greenhouse. Prick seedlings into individual pots when large enough to handle and grow on under glass through at least their first winter. Plant out in late spring or early summer after the last expected frosts. Offsets can be divided in spring; larger divisions go directly into permanent positions. Smaller divisions are better potted and grown on in light shade in a cold frame until well established, then planted out in late spring or early summer.

Other Uses

Fibre extracted from the leaves is used to make nets. A soft material from the stems is used to make corks and bungs. A gum is obtained from the plant as a result of insect damage.

Notes

There are about 80-200 Puya species. They are mostly from the Andes of South America.

Synonyms

Pitcairnia chilensis (Molina) Lodd. ex Loudonand others

References (7)

Cundall, P., (ed.), 2004, Gardening Australia: flora: the gardener's bible. ABC Books. p 1115
Kermath, B. M., et al, 2014, Food Plants in the Americas: A survey of the domesticated, cultivated and wild plants used for Human food in North, Central and South America and the Caribbean. On line draft. p 729
Leon-Lobos, P., et al, 2022, Patterns of Traditional and Modern Uses of Wild Edible Native Plants of Chile: Challenges and Future Perspectives. Plants (Basel) v 11 (6) Table S1
Plant Ecology - Reviews of Research. 1955, Arid Zone Research VI. UNESCO p 98
Plants for a Future database, The Field, Penpol, Lostwithiel, Cornwall, PL22 0NG, UK. http://www.scs.leeds.ac.uk/pfaf/

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