Agave americana

Protecting Others But Not Self

| Flower Roberts

This is not a case of altruism. It is an example of my mindlessness…again. Head one place; hand somewhere else.

We moved the Century Plants back to their favorite spots on the wall. They love the heat from underneath.

Two Centurys

I put on gloves to prune off dead leaves. These plants need sun and very little water. The only time I touch them is to trim old leaves and remove pups.

Mama agave and pup

When they stayed inside I clipped off the spikes. They are big enough to leave out, so they may go in the ground this fall. These bloom only once in a lifetime. I hope I live to see the giant flower stalks.

Century plants

I put sticks with balls on the ends to prevent passers-by from running into the mean spikes at the end of each leaf.


I needed one more stick. I took off my gloves to search, but did not put them back on. OUCH! The sap is poisonous.

Red but not swollen.

I think I heard a whisper from one of the agaves. It sounded like ” Touche!”

Et tu agave?

Injured FLOW

Waiting for a Century

| Flower Roberts

I clearly remember seeing my first Century Plant blooming on a beach outing years ago. I walked under the tall stalk of blooms in disbelief. My next encounter was in California. I made my friend, Lisa, turn the rental car around to drive back for photos.

Century plant blooming in Napa Valley California

Century plants actually take decades to bloom , not a century. Sadly, the plant dies after blooming.

I finally got two, tiny Century plants of my own while on Ocracoke Island. That is me under the stalk of a blooming Agave americana on Ocracoke Island.

One of my Agave was labeled ‘Whale’s Tongue.’ Both are years away from blooming. I am afraid to leave them out during the winter here in Zone 7.

I have seen several growing in yards, so maybe I will get brave and leave them out when they get too big to haul inside like this one.

Century Plant under tent in Charlotte, NC

They are quite dangerous. I must be careful when moving them and cleaning them off. Both plants have put out pups, so I will have a collection of them eventually.

I love their smoky blue color. I love their purple spikes.( Or is that my blood in the points?)

I like being able to see the symmetry of the largest one from above by looking over the deck railing.

FLOW with her slow plants