The Daily Bucket is a nature refuge. We amicably discuss animals, weather, climate, soil, plants, waters and note life’s patterns.
We invite you to note what you are seeing around you in your own part of the world, and to share your observations in the comments below.
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This is the time of year when the multiple sub-species of Agave bloom. Here in Arizona, they are commonly referred to as Century Plants. The common folk lore was that they grew to be a hundred years old and then they would bloom. Most types grow 10 to 30 years before they spend all of their energy developing one massive flower stalk, that can grow up to 25 feet tall, bloom and die. How’s that for a sex life?
That type of reproduction is called Semelparity, or monocarpy. One and done, like Salmon. But with these adaptable plants, they send out adventitious shoots, or pups, also. Much better than just swimming around the cold ocean, waiting to be eaten.
But when you only get one shot at the big ‘O’, you turn it into a show. High in Fructose content, the flowers attract every kind of pollinator around. Bees and flies in the day, and bats and moths at night, line up to party til it drops. And drop it does.
When the show is over, the lowest branches will peel off and drop to the ground, hoping something will come along and spread the seeds.
Even if you’ve never seen one in real life, your probably already a fan. The agave species is incredibly useful. Indigenous people made everything from rope to Pulque with it. These days, we make Tequila with from it’s southern relative. Those of you that aren’t into that sort of thing, probably put Agave Syrup on the hangover pancakes you are fixing for those of us who do.
The Agave is a successful traveler. Native to the Southwest and Mexico, it has been naturalized from South America to Australia, the Mediterranean to China. Now, you may call that an invasive species, but are you really worried about a plant that only does the ‘wild thing’ every 30 years?
So, hooray for a flowering Agave! It’s a sweet and sexy ending of a life well lived.
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What’s the nature news in your neighborhood?
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