For the past few weeks I’ve been watching these amazing blooms sprouting up all over my neighborhood. I had no idea what they were, so I did a little research and learned that they are the bloom, or flower from the California Agave plant. It’s as if one day they just appear. After watching a hummingbird drink from one, I’ve got my son helping me scope them out as we drive through the hills. According to this report, it takes the the Agave just about 6 weeks to grow an enormous bloom (20 feet!) which they do only once in their life time. The bloom will slowly put out millions of seeds, solidifying it’s place for generations to come, and then the plant will die. They wait their whole lives, storing up enough energy to do this one great finale, and then they let go. It’s nature at its best. It’s kind of sad, but also beautiful, and pretty sweet to be able to catch this fleeting part of the cycle.
I’ve always wondered what those giant plants were! There’s something very romantic about that idea that this plant lives it’s whole life to have this one, glorious moment before it expires.
Thanks for the info!
It sure is, Gina. They remind me of Black Swan.
Creepy and beautiful. What does Levi think of the agave bloom?!
he loves them, though he doesn’t totally understand the end of things
reminds me of the cactus we saw on our first night in oaxaca. remember it only bloomed one night a year and we happened to catch it? do you remember what plant that was?
wow. i did not remember that but of course I do now. “Nightblooming Cereus” perhaps?
I love the unique ways in which cactus and succulent plants bloom. I saw some Joshua Trees in bloom last spring, but I have yet to see anything like this before!