Thursday, May 21, 2009

overachieving agave

I've long-admired the dramatic placement of this agave in front of a house in my neighborhood.  Sometime this winter, it sent out a bloom stalk that seems to be trying its best to imitate the vine in Jack & the Beanstalk.  It's now over two stories tall.
























When those flowers open, it's gonna be legendary.

8 comments:

Diana said...

So glad you captured it in a photo. I was wondering how it was doing. It really is the most remarkable one that I 've every seen up close.

sweetbay said...

Wow, I had no idea Agave blooms could get that tall!

Pam/Digging said...

I've been spotting these giant agave bloom stalks all over town. I feel like I live in Dr. Seuss-ville. They are very weird and very cool.

Rock rose said...

There must be something special about this year because we have some of those in our neighborhood too. It could be the drought is getting them all worried about survival and they need to make seed in a hurry.

Anonymous said...

The angle of that photo reminds me of the house on the hill where mother lives, aka Psycho. Good for you for taking a stab at photographing it...

EAL said...

It is my understanding that the plant dies after the flower blooms, with these giant ones?

Lori said...

EAL - Yup, it turns out I got a photo at the absolute peak of bloom. Right now the agave's spikes have collapsed and the blooms on the bloom stalk are wilted. It's definitely dead now.

ConsciousGardener said...

I have a friend who cut hers down and used it as a Christmas Tree a few years back...they are amazing aren't they?