Sheep-Eating Plant Blooms For First Time; Puya Chilensis Started Growing 15 Years Ago
An exotic "sheep-eating" plant, so-called because it kills and "eats" sheep, has bloomed for the first time at the Royal Horticultural Society's Garden Wisley in the U.K.
The plant, known formally as Puya chilensis, has been at the garden for 15 years. In that time, it has reached a height of 10 feet and grown its signature base of razor-sharp, hook-shaped spines.
Per a BBC report, in its native habitat of Chile, the plant uses the spines to ensnare sheep and other small animals. After they starve to death and decompose, the animals nourish the plant through the soil, acting as a gruesome fertilizer.
Speaking of the plant's first-ever flower, Cara Smith, a horticulturist at the Garden Wisley attributed the success to keeping the plant nourished on a liquid fertilizer. "[F]eeding it on its natural diet might prove a bit problematic," she admitted.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/06/20/sheep-eating-plant-bloom-puya-chilensis-photos_n_3474003.html?utm_hp_ref=mostpopular
= new reply since forum marked as read
that also makes sense of the odd flower (I see the relationship to a pineapple now!) and spikey strap leaves
thanks!
oooo look at this one!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Puya_raimondii
