Foxtail Agave, Dragon-Tree Agave, Spineless Agave
Agave attenuata
Foxtail Agave, Dragon-Tree Agave, Swan's Neck Agave, Spineless Agave (Agave attenuata) with bloom stalks ... (Photo courtesy of Forest & Kim Starr. Flowering at Kula, Maui, Hawaii. November 14, 2003)
What a staggering display! Now that would really stop you in your tracks.. Absolutely beautiful.
That is so cool!
I agree with kniphofia, absolutely beautiful!!
Is this agave a rebloomer?
kniphofia, these are really great when blooming alone, however, quite stunning when bloomimg in a group.
Shadyfolks, Agave attenuata blooms only when the plant is 10 years old or more. The flower stalk is between 7 to 13 feet (2 to 4 m) long. After the plant blooms, it dies. Fortunately, it will have produced suckers (pups), bulbils on the plant stalk and seeds.that grow into replacement plants.
Thank you both for your comments.
I knew about agave being the "100 year" plant , I just thought maybe these were special. because they all are blooming in the same year!
Shadyfolks, great observation. I am going to research this more because a couple of sites state that it does not die after blooming.
Wow, stunning display!
Calif_Sue, it is really beautiful when blooming alone, but mesmerizingly so when blooming in mass. I understand that these grow in California and thrive in areas that do not receive freezing temperatures. Have you ever seen any in person? Thanks for your comments.
I have seen lots of different agaves (I grow a few myself) at both San Francisco and especially UC Berkeley Botanical Gardens that display many varieties but I have never seen these blooms.
Me neither but I sure want to! FANTASTIC!
PS I have seen huge clumps of these in Southern Ca and in Northern Ca but never a flower. I feels so deprived now.
Kell, if neither you nor Calif_Sue have seen them, maybe my memory is failing me. I'll have to find where I read that they grow in California. Thanks for your comments.
Ooops! Kell, you posted as I was typing.
This message was edited Jan 13, 2008 1:02 PM
There are all over here. I know I have pics of big clumps but I can't locate them right now. I also have a small one in my yard of the green and just got a variegated one and also have that new one Kara that is supposed to be yellow/green from Plants Delight. However the 2 I bought from them are really solid green, so, so much for that idea. LOL
This clump actually hdd big ones but I some how failed to take pictures of them. They were by the road and getting way too big and hanging out into the road. I think a car may have been parked next to them thus prohibiting me from a good picture. This is by a friends house in Oakland.
Oh Kell, we have seen plenty of blooming ones, just do a Genus search with agave, but we have never seen this type of bloom!
http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/showimage/168801/
Sue, I do not think I have ever seen a Agave attenuata bloom. I do not get what you mean. I have seen lots of Agave attenuata but none in bloom.
What am I not getting? LOL
Mother nature sure knows how to entertain us!
Well not the attenuata species but agaves in general we have seen blooms.
OK, LOL. I agree with that, but we were talking about attenuata. LOL. I may need more sleep. We got in so late and I got up so early. LOL
They take up to 10 years before they bloom.
There ya go Kell, we just have to time it right!
I have seen these bloom..a very large clump that anchored a street corner in the Oakland Hills. So far the only blooms I have seen in the bay area. It takes a big old clump I guess.
This one was blooming in San Leandro last year. Was entertaining for months!
Wow!. Great pic. My brother lived in San Leandro years ago. Those homes have the "look". Across the street his neighbor had a very big Monstera that had 3' heavily cut and perforated leafs. A beauty.
