Most people call an Agave Americana a “century plant.” The name can be misleading, as these plants don’t live to 100 years old. Most mature between 8 and 30 years, which coincides with their one and only flowering. The large, low-maintenance succulent grows well in arid climates, especially in the Southwest and Mexico. “Shorti” has been caring for her century plant, Hedy, in south-central Louisiana for several decades. She is upset that the century plant threw up a bloom spike because that means the plant will be dying soon.
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Hedy is bigger than a Honda CRV, according to Shorti. When she originally posted about the bloom spike, it was only a foot above the base plant. In more recent videos. The spike looks to be nearly 20 feet tall. Shorti used a ratchet strap to pull the bloom away from a nearby power line.
Although saddened by the century plant bloom, Shorti hopes Hedy will produce some “puffs,” or offsets, before she perishes. Puffs are baby plants that the mature plant drops around its base. Puffs can be thrown at any time during the plant’s life, and Shorti has transplanted several of Hedy’s earlier puffs.
The central stem, or bloom spike, can grow incredibly tall. Once it reaches its apex, it will bloom throughout the summer months. The flowers are typically white or yellow. Shorti has a running set of videos showing the growth of her century plant bloom. You can find them on her TikTok channel. Shorti’s down-home accent and realistic narration make each video enjoyable. You can travel through the entire growth sequence of this majestic century plant bloom.
Please share this with someone who loves century plants.
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