These bromeliads, also called 'Queen of the Andes', grow in the Andes at altitudes of 3200 to 4800 metres. These specimens are at an altitude of 4100 metres in the Pastoruri valley in Peru. Each of these plants grows for 50 to 70 years (a few 100 years), after which they flower and die. This photo clearly shows the life cycle of this plant: it grows until a flower stalk emerges, which can be up to 10 metres tall. After this, the plant dies and, over time, the flower stem falls over and only the carcass of the plant remains.
I am Pascal van den Berg, born in 1993. After secondary school, I trained as a photographic designer. Ultimately, that did not become my job, but photography remains an important hobby. Travelling is another hobby, which of course combines well with photography... Read more…