Rare ‘sapphire tower’ blooms outdoors in Scotland for first time

Visitors to a botanic garden in Dumfries and Galloway have a once-in-a-decade opportunity to see the flowers of the rare “sapphire tower” plant, as it blooms outdoors in Scotland for the first time.

The Puya alpestris plant, which is situated in the entrance to the walled garden in the Logan Botanic Garden in Port Logan, can take up to 10 years to produce flowers that only last about two weeks.

Horticulturalists at Scotland’s “most exotic garden” have said the area’s subtropical climate has produced the right conditions for the rare bromeliad, which is native to Chile, to produce its distinctive turquoise and orange flowers.

The garden team also went to great efforts to help the plant flourish, including assisting with its pollination by carefully hand-collecting the pollen using a small paintbrush.

In the wild, this would usually be a job done by hummingbirds.

Richard Baines, curator of Logan Botanic Garden, said: “It’s not every day you get to see an extraordinary plant such as ‘sapphire tower’ bloom outside of its regular climate, so having it here in the garden is a true privilege for everyone at Logan.

“This unique plant is part of Logan’s larger living collection that has been curated through the garden’s global conservation efforts and commitment to support internationally significant research and education.

“With the summer holidays already underway, visiting the garden while the plant is flowering is a wonderful day out for families and plant enthusiasts alike, and we encourage visitors to come and witness its beauty for themselves over the next week.”

The Puya alpestris was donated in 2013 by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, as part of an ongoing plant exchange programme that sees both gardens sharing resources to build a positive future for plants, people and the planet.

Logan Botanic Garden, whose mild climate allows plants from South and Central America, Southern Africa and Australasia to thrive, is part of Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh Living Collection.