Frailejón
The frailejón plant (Rockstroh, 2024)
The frailejón, plants of the genus Espeletia, is a quintessential ecological fulcrum in Andean high-altitude páramo ecosystems. The frailejón plays a very fundamental role in hydrological regulation. With such an extended root matrix and dense, trichome-covered leaves, its morphological features are highly effectual in intercepting the atmospheric moisture from fog and rainfall (Rockstroh, 2024). This intercepted water is allowed to run down the stem and infiltrate the soil to recharge the subterranean aquifers that feed regional river systems. Paramos are usually referred to as “water factories” since they supply as much as 85% of the potable water in Colombia. The sponge-like functioning of frailejón becomes a non-negotiable aspect of this hydrological service.
Beyond water capture, frailejones act as ecosystem engineers, structurally modifying their environment to form niche microhabitats. The retention of large, senesced leaves along the stem provides critical shelter and nesting resources for a diversity of high-altitude fauna, including birds, insects, and small mammals (WCS Colombia, n.d.). This capacity to shape biotic communities underlines its identification as a potential “key to restoring” degraded páramos. Indeed, efforts in Ecuador have so far established the propagation and replanting of native frailejón species as a primary methodology for post-disturbance recovery, such as following wildfires and erosion events (Mongabay, 2025).
This becomes even more critical in the context of the frailejón within the global climate crisis. Páramos represent some of the largest carbon sinks, mainly due to the peat in their soils storing immense amounts of carbon. A healthy frailejón population plays a very important role in maintaining the stability of these carbon stores (The Nature Conservancy, 2023). Ironically, this also makes the genus particularly vulnerable. The combined forces of climate change and human-induced pressures such as wildfires threaten these slow-growing organisms with the most extreme of dangers. Some species take as long as five decades to reach heights of a few metres; losing mature plants has far-reaching and long-lasting impacts on ecosystem function (WCS Colombia, n.d.; Mongabay, 2025). In conclusion, it is not possible to conceive of the páramo ecosystem without the frailejón. It is fundamentally necessary for the hydrological generation capacity of the region, a facilitator of unique biodiversity, and a guardian of significant carbon stocks. For this reason, frailejón population protection and active restoration go beyond mere conservation; it is an essential investment in the hydrological security and climate resilience of the Andean nations.
Bibliography:
Mongabay (2025) In Ecuador, a mountain shrub could hold the key to restoring a precious ecosystem. Available at: https://news.mongabay.com/2025/02/in-ecuador-a-mountain-shrub-could-hold-the-key-to-restoring-a-precious-ecosystem/ (Accessed: 20 November 2025).
Rockstroh, P. (2024) Frailejones: The Colombian Espeletias. Exotica Esoterica. Available at: https://www.exoticaesoterica.com/magazine/frailejones-colombian-espeletias (Accessed: 20 November 2025).
The Nature Conservancy (2023) Colombia's Páramos: Natural Climate Solutions. Available at: https://www.nature.org/en-us/what-we-do/our-priorities/tackle-climate-change/climate-change-stories/colombia-paramos-natural-climate-solutions/ (Accessed: 20 November 2025).
WCS Colombia (no date) The Frailejones. Available at: https://colombia.wcs.org/en-us/WCS-VISUAL/Photo-Gallery/The-frailejones.aspx (Accessed: 20 November 2025).