In Chile’s Atacama Desert—the driest nonpolar desert on the planet—one of nature’s most remarkable survivors clings to life against overwhelming odds. Known as llareta (Azorella compacta), this extraordinary plant looks at first glance like bright green moss plastered across boulders. But a closer look reveals something far more complex: a dense, cushion-shaped mass made up of countless tiny, tightly packed leaves. The plant’s compact surface is so firm and resilient that a person can stand on it without leaving a mark. Botanists from institutions such as Kew Gardens and researchers cited by National Geographic describe llareta as one of the world’s most striking examples of extreme-environment adaptation.

What makes llareta truly astonishing is the pace at which it grows. In the Atacama’s brutal climate—where rainfall is scarce, UV radiation is intense, and temperatures swing dramatically—llareta expands at a rate sometimes less than two centimeters per year. This slow, steady persistence has allowed some individuals to survive for millennia. Indeed, several clumps documented by field ecologists are estimated to be more than 3,000 years old, placing them among the oldest known living plants on Earth. Their longevity stems partly from their growth form: by hugging the ground in a tight, rounded cushion, the plant minimizes water loss and shields itself from relentless desert winds. Studies in desert-plant physiology, including work published in Journal of Arid Environments, note that such cushion structures are among the most effective ways for vegetation to survive in cold, dry, high-altitude regions.

For Indigenous and local communities in the Andes, llareta has long held cultural significance. Historically, its woody, resin-rich interior was sometimes used as fuel, prized for burning slowly and producing steady heat. However, because the plant grows so slowly—taking centuries to reach even modest size—scientists and conservation groups now strongly discourage harvesting. Organizations such as Chile’s National Forest Corporation (CONAF) and conservation researchers highlight llareta as a species in need of protection, given that damaged clumps may never fully recover within a human lifetime.

Today, llareta is seen not only as a botanical curiosity but as a living time capsule, silently bearing witness to thousands of years of environmental history. Its presence offers researchers valuable clues about climate extremes, ecological resilience, and the limits of plant survival on Earth. By studying this ancient desert dweller, scientists hope to better understand how life endures in some of the harshest places on the planet—knowledge that may even inform research on life in other extreme environments, including Mars.

Llareta’s bright green cushions may appear simple, even unremarkable, to the casual observer. Yet each mound represents an extraordinary triumph of patience, adaptation, and endurance. In the vast silence of the Atacama, these ancient plants continue to thrive slowly and steadily, bridging millennia as living witnesses to the desert’s timeless landscape.