06.06.2012 (158/366) Uh Oh!
When an agave flowers, it is a sad event. Agaves are monocarpic, which means they die after flowering. Agave Americana, is the most common agave in the Southwest, is also known as “century plant” because it supposedly takes a century to bloom. Not really though, it actually takes15 to 20 years unless you choose to give it ample water and grow it in rich soil. So if you want you agave to live a long life treat it mean! It is a common misconception that agaves are cacti. They are not related to cacti, nor are they related to Aloe whose leaves are similar in appearance.This spike is probably around 10 to 12 feet. Hard to tell when you're too lazy to get out of the car to photograph it :)
06.06.2012 (158/366) Uh Oh!
When an agave flowers, it is a sad event. Agaves are monocarpic, which means they die after flowering. Agave Americana, is the most common agave in the Southwest, is also known as “century plant” because it supposedly takes a century to bloom. Not really though, it actually takes15 to 20 years unless you choose to give it ample water and grow it in rich soil. So if you want you agave to live a long life treat it mean! It is a common misconception that agaves are cacti. They are not related to cacti, nor are they related to Aloe whose leaves are similar in appearance.This spike is probably around 10 to 12 feet. Hard to tell when you're too lazy to get out of the car to photograph it :)