The «Queen of the Andes» Bromeliad
In the Andean Condor grows a giant plant, reaching a length of about 12 meters and considered the largest bromeliad in the world. This unique plant, known as the «Queen of the Andes,» amazes researchers with its size and rarity of blooming once in a century.
Described by the French naturalist Alcide d’Orbigny over two centuries ago, it was officially classified as Puya raimondii in 1874 by the scientist Antonio Raimondi. Belonging to the bromeliad family, like pineapples, this plant has prickly characteristics, yet its size looks truly majestic compared to a pineapple.
The «Queen of the Andes» grows in the highest parts of the Andes, at altitudes ranging from 3000 to 4800 meters, and is mostly facing north. It is found in the regional reserve in Peru, where the population of this plant exceeds 45,000 specimens. Other bromeliads of this species are scattered around the world, but the «Queen of the Andes» remains a symbol of the greatness of this unique corner of nature.
