Puya assurgens

Puya assurgens is a relatively small-sized Puya from a limited geographical range around the Yala river and Yala Lagoons in Jujuy Province in the extreme northwest of Argentina where it grows on rocky outcrops at elevations of 1700-2050 metres above sea level. It has rosettes of lightly barbed green leaves that are silver on the lower surface and tend to lose their barbs as they mature. The foliage reaches about 1m and is lightly arching.

Puya assurgens resembles Puya dyckioides and one of the key differences in the two species is the inflorescence. On both plants the inflorescence is pink, the bracts and sepals a pink colour with the top quarter of the petals blueish-green. On Puya assurgens the pink colour is softer, more coral but the main taxonomic differences are the erect upright flowering branches and the terminal branch of the inflorescence being much longer than the lateral branches on Puya assurgens with the floral bracts reaching further up the sepals. The foliage on Puya assurgens is also more tapering.

A highly desirable and very interesting terrestrial Bromeliad, Puya assurgens is relatively rare in cultivation. It is cold tolerant and takes several degrees of frost but should be protected from cold wet weather during the British winter. A warm sheltered aspect, good drainage, a thick stony mulch of shingle, pebbles or grit and a rain cover over protective layers of fleece are needed to overwinter it outdoors. Because of its relatively small size - for a Puya! - it is also makes a very successful container-grown plant that can be brought in to a glasshouse in the winter. It should be fleeced if in an unheated glasshouse and kept dry.