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Pink Puya

Puya dyckioides

Please be careful removing your plant from its packaging.

Pot size -- You can start your plant off in a pot twice the size of the one it came in.  Within a year, it should be replanted into a larger container. 

Soil -- You can use regular potting soil, provided that you add 1 part of perlite or sand for every 2 parts soil, mixed well. After filling the containers, water the soil so that it is uniformly moist, but not soggy.  Do not pack the soil down.

Transplanting -- Be careful removing your plant from its pot to avoid damaging the delicate roots. 

Light --  Puya likes full sun in cooler, coastal areas, or mid-day shade in warmer areas.  However your plant was grown in filtered light and needs to be acclimated to direct sun slowly, over the course of a few weeks.  So start your plant in bright shade + a couple hours of morning sun, and increase the sun by an hour every week or two.   If your plant happens to show signs of leaf burn, simply give it more shade until it adjusts to more sun.  Be patient with Puya plants, as they are slow growers.

Watering --  Puya likes slightly more water than cacti do.  Water moderately whenever the soil is about 2/3 dry down where the roots are. I recommend using a moisture meter probe to monitor the soil moisture. You can buy this at garden and hardware stores for about $4. Simply stick the probe in the soil at the level where the roots are, and water whenever the needle is about 2 or 3 on a scale of 10.  Avoid letting the soil completely dry out, but don't let it stay soggy either. Never let the pots sit in a tray of water. 

Feeding -- Feed once a month during periods of active growth, using an ordinary vegetable fertilizer with micronutrients, at 1/3 the recommended dose.  Don't overfeed them - it will not speed their growth and may end up poisoning them. 

Climate --  Protect your plants from frost for at least the first winter or two.  For best results, try to protect your Puya from anything more than light, brief frosts.  Keep it dry if temperatures drop below freezing.  They will bloom the soonest if protected from all frost.  During the summer, it's best to give them some mid-day shade if it gets into the 90s or above.  This plant comes from the foggy highlands and appreciates some moisture in the air.  Over 40-50% humidity is recommended.

Propagation -- After a few years, your plant will start making offsets.  Wait until the offsets have a good root system and then you can carefully remove them if you wish.

Have fun growing it!

Jeff

Strange Wonderful Things

 

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