Puya is a large genus consisting of 170 species of South American terrestrial bromeliads in the Bromeliaceae family. They include the largest of all bromeliads, some species growing to about 6 meters. They are cultivated in gardens as shrubs. The leaves stand out boldly from a basal rosette and they often have hollow stems. Large blue, purple or yellow flowers are held on unbranched spikes or in dense panicles. The fruit are capsules that enclose winged seeds. These plants can grow in a wide range of soils provided they are well drained, and prefer a sunny position. As with all members of the bromeliad family, keep them away from footpaths because the leaves bear sharp spines along the margins. Prune to remove damaged foliage and propagate by division of offsets or from seed. They grow well in raised garden beds, rockeries and in large pots.

Puya mirabilis is an evergreen perennial terrestrial bromeliad native to Argentina and Bolivia. In nature these plants will reach around 1.8 meters tall, but in containers their size is reduced to about 60 cm tall. The grass-like foliage grows from basal rosettes and has many spines along the margins. The spines are not sharp or stiff as in some bromeliads. The flowers are elegant, flaring, lime green bells that are held in fuzzy purple-grey calyxes of up to 15 per stem. They are nicely displayed on stiff upright 1.5 meter stems. They will form large clumps if planted in the landscape. They produce offsets freely and clumps can reach up to 2.5 to 3 meters wide. Plants are interesting in that they don’t resemble most bromeliads.