Germinating Puyas and Deuterocohnia

Germination of Chilean puya species and of Deuterocohnia chrysantha is very easy, provided that the seeds are exposed to light.

Soak the seeds for up to two days in water, changing water a couple of times, then plant on the surface of a well-drained substrate (containing about 50% sand/perlite). Sow the seeds superficially and do not cover them. Expose to cool temperatures and light. To prevent drying out of the seeds, cover the seeds with a transparent film. The germination begins from around day 5 and by day 10 more than 50 % of all seeds germinate.

Seeds which are not exposed to light do not germinate at all or may take several months to do so.

The procedure and the germination speed is very similar for all species of Chilean Puyas (Puya berteroniana, Puya boliviensis, Puya chilensis, Puya coerulea var. monteroana, Puya coerulea var. monteroana, Puya gilmartinii, Puya venusta, and Deuterocohnia chrysantha). For Puya berteroniana I recommend doing a short cold stratification, since it improves the germination.