Century Plant….
My little one and I encountered this bit of desert wonderfulness on Highway 89A, on a stretch of the road called “The Mingus Highway,” just south and west of Jerome, Arizona. The formal name of the plant is Agave americana, but it is commonly referred to as the Century plant. If you’d like to, you can check-out this link on Wikipedia for more information….and if you’re prefer not to visit the link, I’ll just tell you that, while it is referred to as the Century plant, it typically lives for 10-30 years and then dies after it blooms.
We saw probably half a dozen or more of the plants along the roadway, but this one was by far the freshest of the bunch…the others were either seriously late in their blooming season and had mostly wilted flowers or were already dying or dead.
Very nice, and a very fortuitous find.
July 7, 2014 at 11:24 am
Thanks, Emilio…and yes, it certainly was.
July 9, 2014 at 10:07 am
I had heard of them, but never saw what the blossoms looked like. I bet it feels like a century waiting for one to bloom! 🙂
July 7, 2014 at 11:49 am
I’d never seen them in “real life” before, either, Gunta. It was quite nice. I can’t imagine planting one in the yard and then waiting, waiting, waiting for the magic to happen….
July 9, 2014 at 10:21 am
Beautiful (and unusual) flowers!
July 7, 2014 at 4:31 pm
They are, Allen…and quite large, too.
July 9, 2014 at 10:22 am
What a wonderful world Scott……with something from out of this world…….fabulous.
July 8, 2014 at 7:08 am
Wonderful, indeed, John. 🙂
July 9, 2014 at 10:22 am
These are great photos – most people, like myself, are lucky to see this in a botanical garden. It must be so cool to see it growing in its native habitat.
July 8, 2014 at 10:41 pm
I think it would be quite an event for a botanical garden, Lynn, as it only happens once during each plant’s lifetime….but yes, indeed, it was wonderful to find them out on the side of the road like this.
July 9, 2014 at 10:24 am
Beautiful
July 9, 2014 at 12:58 am
Very much so!
July 9, 2014 at 10:24 am
Beautifully captured. 🙂
July 9, 2014 at 7:33 am
Thank you. 🙂
July 9, 2014 at 10:24 am
Beautiful photos!
July 9, 2014 at 11:28 am
Thank you. 🙂
July 9, 2014 at 6:54 pm
Amazing plant. These desert plants really go for it when they flower don’t they? Fabulous picture Scott!
July 11, 2014 at 1:59 am
It seems that this one gives its all…unto death. Thank you…. 🙂
July 12, 2014 at 7:23 pm
We saw a lot of these on a tour of CA but never saw one in flower. Stunning colours Scott
July 13, 2014 at 12:24 pm