There are 3,000 species of Bromeliads, and this one is the king!  At over 30 feet tall, Puya raimondii is the world's largest Bromeliad, with one of the largest flower clusters of any plant on earth!  This is an endangered species that is being kept alive in only a few places outside its native Andes range.  More pictures of this incredible plant are here.

Puya raimondii (pronounced "Ray-MON-dee-eye") is a terrestrial Bromeliad from the mountains of Peru and Bolivia.  This Pineapple relative grows to about 8 feet across, with its rosette of grass-like leaves that are lined with sharp thorns.  It is said to live to 100 years or more.  The plant has flowered twice in the U.S. - one at 28 years and one at 33.  The massive flower stalk can be 19 feet long, containing thousands of flowers.  Each creamy-white blossom is about 2" wide, with bright orange anthers.  Like most Bromeliads, the plant dies after flowering.  Unlike most Bromeliads, it does not reproduce by pups, only by seed.

Puya raimondii comes from cool highlands, at about 13,000 feet.  It is believed to be frost-tolerant down to about 20 degrees, however it will probably flower soonest if protected from hard freezes.  I have no information on its heat tolerance, but some other Puya species from the Andes have been raised successfully in warmer states like Florida.  Grow it in well-draining soil, in full sun or light shade.  It can tolerate frequent rain, provided that it's in fast-draining soil.

Teenage Puya raimondii plants