Puya alpestris - Sapphire Tower
The 5' blooming stalk of this Bromeliad is absolutely amazing. Its intense blue color is difficult to believe much less describe. Luminous, metallic turquoise, a color you might paint a race car. Plus it has bright orange stamens.
The large clumping rosettes of spiky grass-like foliage are handsome in their own right, and look good year round in a xeriscape garden. Then comes a 5 foot tall flower spike that explodes with metallic blue blossoms. Hummingbirds love them, and the branches provide convenient perches.
Native to Southern Chile, Puya alpestris thrives in zones 9-11, is utterly drought tolerant and is hardy to 25°.
The tiny seeds are very fresh. Sow them on the surface of a gritty medium and keep moist. Germination can be erratic, but these seeds will come through
15 seeds