Race against time as rare plant blooms at last
AN exotic plant from the Chilean Andes, which can take up to a decade to flower and then dies, is in full bloom in one of the Victorian glasshouses at Birmingham Botanical Gardens.
Puya alpestris is a type of bromeliad, distantly related to the pineapple, and native to the mountainous regions of central and southern Chile where it grows at elevations of up to 2,200 metres.
The alien-looking plant, also known as the sapphire tower due to its spectacularly coloured flowering spikes, relies on hummingbirds to collect its nectar-rich pollen to ensure its survival in the wild.
However, in the absence of avian assistance, horticulturists are now in a race against time to try and pollinate the plant themselves.
Senior Glasshouse Horticulturist Alberto Trinco is having to use a small paintbrush to carefully collect the pollen in the hope of fertilising the plant and producing viable fruits and seeds.
“Each flower only last a few days giving only a limited window of time for us to give nature a helping hand: in the absence of its natural pollinators, we will attempt some human pollination instead,” said Alberto.
“The plant arrived here more than 20 years ago: it is extremely slow growing so to witness its spectacular blooms is very exciting and rare.
“Hopefully pollinating the flowers with the brush to obtain seeds will allow us to secure the presence of this amazing species in our collection for future generations to come and admire,” he added. Edgbaston’s Botanical Gardens is home to 7,000 plants and trees, the largest and most diverse botanic collection in central England.
This year Birmingham Botanical Gardens is embarking on a transformational £14m capital project ‘Growing our Green Heritage’, having recently secured a Round 1 National Lottery Heritage Fund grant.
The project will restore the historic glasshouses, improve the site infrastructure, and promote the value of nature and green spaces, increasing public understanding of the importance of plant biodiversity to life on earth, ensuring the Gardens’ legacy for generations to come.