So Many Dishes

It isn’t the best photo I’ve ever taken, but I was struck by this century plant that we saw on our walk earlier this week. I have never seen one with a flower stalk so tall. Unfortunately, the bloom gets lost a bit in the palm fronds. I’m sure the plant looked really nice, planted at the base of the palm tree, and because it can be up to 30 years before a century plant blooms, whoever planted it never considered where the stalk would go.

This plant is dying, as you can see if you look at the base. This is its normal life cycle: it blooms once and then dies, but propagates by offsets, often called pups.

Agaves are native to Mexico and the southwestern United States, but they are very popular here in Florida. They’re drought tolerant and don’t require much care. The century plant is an important nectar source for pollinators, and its sap is used to make agave syrup. (Tequila comes from a different agave species).

I’m curious to see what the homeowners put in its place. I hope they don’t remove it too soon. That flower will last for a few weeks, and it’s fascinating to see.