They look like gigantic heads of broccoli erupting from the earth, or perhaps a large blob of alien goo. No, they’re not invaders from space, these otherworldly green lumps are something much more amazing. High in the Andes mountains are fields of rocks and boulders covered with a plant called yareta, which can far outlive any human.
In the Andes highlands, there are many rocky areas enveloped in a thick blanket of the mossy-looking yareta. Adapted to life in this cold grasslands region, the plants are well-equipped to survive in this harsh climate. They grow close to the ground to retain heat, as well as stand against the strong winds that regularly blast through at this high altitude. In order to retain as much moisture as possible, the plants have thick, waxy leaves.
Called llareta in Spanish, this flowering plant packs itself in a dense blanket, strong enough to support the weight of an adult human. Yareta grows very slowly, about 1.5 cm per year. Many colonies are estimated to be over 3,000 years old. They are only found in Peru, Bolivia, northern Chile, and western Argentina, thriving at altitudes upwards of 10,000 feet and higher in such bitter cold that the granite cracks.
The plant’s hardiness, ironically, almost led to its undoing. Because of its dense nature, it was traditionally harvested to be burned as fuel, much like peat. Use of the yareta became so prevalent that the plant was nearly wiped out. Now listed as an endangered species, this flowering plant is protected.
Photo from Puhlmann Photography/Shutter Stock
