This Rare, Giant Plant, Found In The Mountains Of Peru And Bolivia, Blooms Once In 100 Years; Watch

Good things are worth waiting for and so is this plant which blooms once in 100 years. One of the million masterpieces that nature has to offer, this plant is called the Puya Raimondi. It is also known as the Queen of the Andes and blooms only after reaching an age of about 80 to 100 years old. Besides, it is also famous for having the tallest flowering spike in the world.

Notably, the Queen of the Andes resembles a cactus and what makes it so remarkable is its inflorescences. These inflorescence, or, the flowers within the steam, can reach heights of up to 13 to 26 feet or 4 to 8 meters tall whereas the whole plant reaches heights of up to 50 feet or 15 meters. Growing at these extreme altitudes is not easy but the plant survives all the odds to bloom successfully once in 100 years. Interestingly, the plant can also produce between 8,000 and 20,000 flowers over three months.

Recently, a picture of the rare plant was shared by a user on X with the caption, “The queen of the Andes(Puya raimondii) is a relative of pineapple. Its inflorescences(a cluster of flowers arranged on a stem) reach up to 15 m in height.” The picture is now viral on social media and people are amazed to look at the taller-than-anything plant.

These plants are native to the height Andes mountains of Bolivia and Peru and are believed to be an endangered species. It is because they face several threats to their continual survival. Not many would know that the duration of the reproductive cycle and life span of these plants is around 80 years. However, some plants also manage to live for a hundred years which means that they bloom only once just a few weeks before dying.

For those who want to witness the magical beauty of the plant, the Huascaran National Park is one of the best places. The plant can be found in the Cordillera Blanca, one of Peru’s most stunning mountain ranges and has been UNESCO World Heritage Listed since 1985.