Cardon, Chilean puya, Chagual
Puya chilensis

Family: Bromeliaceae

What it is like

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.

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

Where it is found

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.

Countries/locations it is found in

Andes, Australia, Chile (country/location of origin), South America

How it is used for food

The young leaf sprouts are eaten in salads.

Edible parts

Leaves

How it is grown

Plants can be grown from seeds or offsets.

Its other names

Local names

Synonyms

Pitcairnia chilensis (Molina) Lodd. ex Loudon; and others