Blue Agave Eruption

Speaking (or writing) about floral puberty, a blue agave decided to go for it a couple of weeks ago.

All I know is I was thinning out agave suckers by the gravel driveway. That evening, I walked back to marvel at my work. That was when I noticed the blue agave stalk. It was probably three or four days old, but already humungous.

That erection will grow for about a month then explode in little stalks covered with flowers.

I similarly noticed a fourth green agave erupting. The story is similar. I was walking through our Sonoran acre when I noticed it had already from some five or six feet.

A green agave's erection is nothing compared to that of a full grown blue agave. It's huge.

The photo on the left, taken on March 21, maybe one week into the erection, shows the agave itself which is about six feet tall. The stalk is about two feet in circumference. I just went outside to check and the stalk has doubled in height since the photo was taken.

Then there is the hanging cactus (right) whose flowers last only a couple of days.

It must be spring.