February 23, 2015: The Swansong of an Aged Agave

Diaphone Jim · 10-03-2020, 11:32 AM

Today is the second day of the final chapter of my Agave (AKA century) plant.
I think it is possible that I have given it something of brief to detailed lookover every day for 45 years.
I look at the central core spike of tightly wrapped future leaves (fronds? swords?) sometimes giving the next one in line a little encouragement and watching it pop free and begin its independent life of spread out ray catching. It will slowly over several years move down until it is on the bottom row, losing it springiness and chlorophyll and eventually needing removal.
Forty-five years.
Yesterday the central always-green leaf factory had been replaced by a red-tinged torpedo shaped bulb almost a foot long and appearing to my eye to be full of the pent up energy it will need to turn in to a 15+ foot stalk.
Boy howdy!
The history of the plant is above in this thread. A few years ago I spoke with a succulent nursery owner who tried to prepare me for the fact that it might lack whatever conditions it needed to ever bloom. I'll call her today.
I don't know how long the blooming and dying phase takes, but I will update and add photos as it progresses.

10-03-2020, 11:32 AM	#14
Diaphone Jim Junior Master Dwellar Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Northern California Posts: 2,122	Today is the second day of the final chapter of my Agave (AKA century) plant. I think it is possible that I have given it something of brief to detailed lookover every day for 45 years. I look at the central core spike of tightly wrapped future leaves (fronds? swords?) sometimes giving the next one in line a little encouragement and watching it pop free and begin its independent life of spread out ray catching. It will slowly over several years move down until it is on the bottom row, losing it springiness and chlorophyll and eventually needing removal. Forty-five years. Yesterday the central always-green leaf factory had been replaced by a red-tinged torpedo shaped bulb almost a foot long and appearing to my eye to be full of the pent up energy it will need to turn in to a 15+ foot stalk. Boy howdy! The history of the plant is above in this thread. A few years ago I spoke with a succulent nursery owner who tried to prepare me for the fact that it might lack whatever conditions it needed to ever bloom. I'll call her today. I don't know how long the blooming and dying phase takes, but I will update and add photos as it progresses.

Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)