8 of the Biggest Flowers on Earth..
7
of 8
Queen of the Andes (Puya raimondii)
Queen of the Andes plant standing tall against snow-capped mountains
Tainah Narducci / Getty Images
The largest bromeliad—a group of thousands of plants native to tropical and subtropical America—has been dubbed queen of the Andes for its tendency to send a flower stalk up 30 feet high amid snow-capped mountains. The University of California Botanical Garden says this plant can set up to 12 million seeds and produce thousands of flowers—but only when it reaches about 80 to 100 years old. Unfortunately, it dies after flowering, as most bromeliads do—though the blooms can last for several years before that happens.4
The Puya raimondii occurs in the highlands of Peru and Bolivia, usually no less than 13,000 feet above sea level. Due to threats caused by cattle grazing, damage caused by fire, shrinking populations affecting germination rates, and climate change affecting the plant's ability to flower, the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has classified it as endangered.5
of 8
Queen of the Andes (Puya raimondii)
Queen of the Andes plant standing tall against snow-capped mountains
Tainah Narducci / Getty Images
The largest bromeliad—a group of thousands of plants native to tropical and subtropical America—has been dubbed queen of the Andes for its tendency to send a flower stalk up 30 feet high amid snow-capped mountains. The University of California Botanical Garden says this plant can set up to 12 million seeds and produce thousands of flowers—but only when it reaches about 80 to 100 years old. Unfortunately, it dies after flowering, as most bromeliads do—though the blooms can last for several years before that happens.4
The Puya raimondii occurs in the highlands of Peru and Bolivia, usually no less than 13,000 feet above sea level. Due to threats caused by cattle grazing, damage caused by fire, shrinking populations affecting germination rates, and climate change affecting the plant's ability to flower, the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has classified it as endangered.5
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29 August 2023
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