It's Puya time again!

[lzrddr]

I love this time of year in Southern California since the Huntington's Puya collection is in full bloom (a few are done and a few are still coming, but most are NOW).

Puya alpestris is one of my favorites

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Puya alpestris again close flowers.jpg (73.56 KiB) Viewed 2325 times

Puya berteroana is actually finished blooming now… it is one of the first of the blooming season… looks so much like P alpestris (though the plants themselves are much larger) I am happy the two do not bloom simultaneously… helps me identify which is which

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Puya berteroana flwoers even closer.jpg (51.85 KiB) Viewed 2325 times

Puya chilensis is another favorite of mine… plants are same size as P berteroanas but flower are so shocking in color!

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Puya chilensis flower pannicle lower garden 4-15.jpg (83.35 KiB) Viewed 2325 times

Not all (in fact, only about half) the Puyas at the Huntington are labeled… so these two plants have wonderful flowers but no idea what to call them. ONe is notably dark blue and probably the best looking of all the flowers in my opinion… the other is a very prolific plant making nice dark green flowers… both COULD be just forms of Puya alpestris… who knows.

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puya dark green 7.jpg (52.58 KiB) Viewed 2325 times

Puya coerulea is a confusing one for me as it has SO many different flower types/colors and its identity varies from garden to garden. This is Puya coerulea var. coerulea

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Puya coerula May.jpg (82.77 KiB) Viewed 2325 times

Puya coerlulea pink flowers.jpg (43.36 KiB) Viewed 2325 times

Last two are Puya coerulea var violacea… a plant so different it is hard to see why it is the same species… plants themselves are only about a foot tall and dull green (instead of 3' tall and silvery)… and you can see the flowers are nothing alike

[lzrddr]

Puya spathacea is a nice looking flashy flowerer, but the colors are mostly in the peduncles, not the flowers themselves

Puya floccosa has nice dark purple flowers, but not too showy relatively

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Puya ferruguinea is sort of dull in comparison

Puya ferruginea flowers mid april.jpg (115.26 KiB) Viewed 2323 times

Here's an oddball one… Puya ultima

Puya ultima flowering March.jpg (128.52 KiB) Viewed 2323 times

Not all Puyas are large… these two miniature plants look very similar
Puya assrugens

Puya assurgens nice flowerr stalk with green flowers May.jpg (103.89 KiB) Viewed 2323 times

and Puya butcheriana

Puya butcheriana flowers May.jpg (99.15 KiB) Viewed 2323 times

Last, but certainly not least, is Puya venusta… which to my untrained eyes sure looks a LOT like Puya coerulea… though plants themselves are shorter and even more silvery and flowers more numerous. Hummingbirds seem to like these ones the best

[Carl]

Beautiful specimens thank you I'd love to visit Huntington one day but mainly to see the Epicactus collection

[Liz M]

Great plants are Puyas and their flowers are a delight. Thanks for sharing them with us.

[cactuspip]

I can only echo Liz M's comments. Great photos, beautiful flowers!

[Paul in Essex]

What a treat! Many thanks for the pictures.