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Ochagavia litoralis (Coastal Ochagavia) - This terrestrial bromeliad is native to coastal central Chile from Illapel, Coquimbo, to Colchagua where it forms great colonies on rocks of coastal cliffs. In cultivation an individual plant eventually forms clumps of rosettes with 1-foot-long recurved soft spine-margined leaves that are gray-green above and white below. In late summer or fall appear tight heads of pink flowers on short stalks from the center of the rosette. Plants don't flower every year but seem to flower at least alternate years in our Santa Barbara Garden.
Plant in full coastal sun to light shade in a well-drained soil or large pot and irrigate only occasionally. We know this plant is hardy to 18 F as it survived this temperature in our 1990 freeze and was unblemished. It has been speculated by some growers that cooler temperatures trigger bloom.
Ochagavia litoralis is a coastal species that grows in the rocky coastal cliffs between Valparaiso and El Quisco, Chile. The genus Ochagavia is closely related to Fascicularia with 3 species (Ochagavia littoralis, Ochagavia andia and Ochagavia carnea) endemic to mainland Chile and one species, Ochagavia elegans to Robinson Crusoe Island in the Juan Fernandez Islands off the Chilean Coast. Plants of the genus were apparently introduced early into cultivation and Ochagavia carnea is noted as having naturalized in mild coastal areas of southwestern Europe. The name for the genus was one chosen by R.A. Philippi is as published in the Anales de la Univirsidad de Chilee in 1856 honors Sylvestre Ochagavia, the Chilean minister of education from 1853 to 1854. In the 2002 article titled "Revision of the Genus Ochagavia" in Willdenowia, published by the Botanic Garden of Berlin, the authors note that Ochagavia was initially a monotypic genus with the sole member being Ochagavia elegans with other members placed in the genus Rhodostachys until united into Ochagavia in 1934. They differ from Fascicularia by relative length of their style and stamens, sepal shape, petal color and appendages and pollen morphology. We have previously listed the colloquial name for this plant as Cardoncillo but note that the common names listed for this species in the Willdenowia article are Calilla and Chupon.
This information about Ochagavia litoralis displayed is based on research conducted in our horticultural library and from reliable online resources. We also will relate observations made about it as it grows in our nursery gardens and other gardens we have visited, as well how the crops have performed in containers in our nursery field. We will also incorporate comments that we receive from others and we welcome hearing from anyone with additional information, particularly if they can share any cultural information that would aid others in growing it.
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