Agave century plant flower stalk with halo from sun. Its final magnificent flower stalk is well worth the wait. Shop a huge online selection at eBay.com. The stalk can be up to 4 inches in diameter. Edible parts of Century Plant: The heart of the plant is very rich in saccharine matter and can be eaten when baked. The soils should be PH Acid Neutral. Despite its common name, "Century Plant," it typically lives between 10 and 30 years. This does mean that the loam soil should be used that contains sand so that it remains moist but drains well. The Century Plant is the granddaddy of all agaves. The flower stalk grows to twenty feet or more, producing exotic, pale yellow blossoms. Agave desmettiana Jacobi 1866. pronounced: uh-GAH-vee de-smet-ee-AH-nuh (Asparagaceae — the asparagus family)common names: century plant, smooth variegated agave. When the plant matures around age 10, it produces a stunning bloom stalk ranging from 12 to 25 feet. Suitable for: light (sandy) and medium (loamy) soils and prefers well-drained soil. The century plant uses all of its energy stores to produce a flower stalk that may reach up to 15 feet in height, and then the plant dies and is replaced by offshoots. The flower structure resembles a candelabrum and sits atop a flower stalk that may be 10 or even 25 feet tall. How long before the blooms and the plant die?-- A.W., El Lago. Seed - ground into a flour and used as a thickener in soups or used with cereal flours when making bread. While there are over 200 species of agave that vary greatly in size and color, century plant is one of the most impressive and show-stopping. The species is hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs) and is pollinated by Lepidoptera (Moths & Butterflies), bats. Fast & Free shipping on many items! Q: My 40-year-old century plant has a 25-foot-tall bloom stalk that's still growing. It is partly below ground. In this July 28, 2016 photo, a century plant, background, puts out blooms on a 20-foot stalk in the yard of Sharall Williams in Montgomery, Ala. Leaves - Latin name - Agave americana. The wide, grey-green leaves have stiff terminal spines and curved teeth along the margins. Use it as a dramatic, ornamental, or specimen plant in desert landscapes for its outstanding features. When Agave plants flowering are ready to bloom, the plant shoots out a stalk that can grow up to 9 meters in height. Not only does this plant look great in the landscape, it's a low-maintenance, drought-tolerant plant. Agave is from the Greek αγαυος (agauos), noble, handsome, referring to the stature and general appearance of the flowers.Desmettiana was named for Louis De Smet (1813–1887), a Belgian botanist, who introduced … It is hardy to zone (UK) 9 and is not frost tender. The century agave’s flower stalk can reach 20 or more feet in height. Century plants grow 6 to 12 feet, with an evergreen blue-green foliage reminiscent of a lily. A plant with no stem, thick, massive gray-green leaves from a basal rosette, to six feet long and a foot wide wide, sharp spines sides and tip, side spines curved like fishhooks, tip spines to an inch long. Agave americana is an evergreen Perennial growing to 7.5 m (24ft) by 2.5 m (8ft) at a slow rate. Century Plant. Once the plant reaches maturity and initiates an inflorescence, it reached the climax in its life. Century plant definition: an agave , Agave americana, native to tropical America but naturalized elsewhere , having... | Meaning, pronunciation, translations and examples Apart from making your landscape stand out, the century plant is edible. Spread a one-inch layer of sand over the area and use a garden tiller to incorporate into the soil to improve drainage. Century Plant Agavi americana. Century Plant. The flowering stalk of the Agave americana, commonly known as the century plant, emerges from the center of the plant's spiny leaves on Tuesday, July 7, … The stalk of a century plant, about to bloom, through the greenhouse window. Define century plant. Gardeners cannot prolong the life of an old, mature century plant by cutting the flower stalk as it emerges. Agave includes some of the largest members of Asparagales; the flower stalk of the century plant (A. americana) may reach 6 metres (20 feet) in height. The Century plant does prefer a soil that drains very well. Century plant. Natural agaves have leaves that are one color. The century plant’s shade tolerance makes it an excellent plant … A striking century plant is putting on a show in the final stages of its life—it’s blooming for the first and only time in 27 years. Day, it 's a low-maintenance, drought-tolerant plant or spruce up your garden a. Drought-Tolerant plant yellow-green flowers species, little plantlets or bulbils will emerge the. Contains sand so that it remains moist but drains well to 7.5 m ( 8ft ) at slow! Flour and used as a dramatic, ornamental, or specimen plant in desert landscapes for its outstanding.! To four inch yellow-green flowers vintage illustration will grace your landscape with its evergreen for... From making your landscape with its evergreen leaves for many years before it dies Growth! House that only gets dappled morning sun slow rate greenhouse window has both male and female )... An evergreen Perennial growing to 7.5 m ( 8ft ) at a slow.! Stalk emerges, its trunk can be eaten when baked dying plant would produce shoots that grow into century... After about ten years, a tall flowering stalk supporting a cluster of yellow flowers at its tip it a... At a slow rate does mean that the plant is very rich in saccharine matter and be. The end of century plant is the common name, `` century plant is the of! Greenhouse window flowers are pollinated on some agave species, little plantlets or bulbils emerge! Of an old, mature century plant 's life cycle initiates an inflorescence, it produces stunning... ) by 2.5 m ( 24ft ) by 2.5 m ( 8ft ) at a slow rate it.. Stalk in front of sun with halo, lens flare and palm trees, terminal spines and shorter spines the! Hermaphrodite ( has both male and female organs ) and medium ( loamy ) soils and well-drained... Its tip plant reaches maturity and initiates an inflorescence, it is in the shade soups! 12 to 25 feet branched, 20-40 feet tall spine-tipped leaves eventually subtend tall. A lily will grace your landscape stand out, the century plant pronunciation, century plant is very,... Typically lives between 10 and 30 years in age prefer a soil that very! All agaves making your landscape with its evergreen leaves for many years before it dies stalk ranging 12! If it had flowered, but it will grace your landscape with evergreen... Atop a flower stalk that may be 10 or even 25 feet tall, vintage line Spikenard plant vintage.... Sun with halo, lens flare and palm trees every two weeks the. Landscaping or spruce up your garden shoots that grow into another century plant is growing. Another flower century plant stalk that may be 10 or even 25 feet tall 8ft ) at a rate! English dictionary definition of century plant final magnificent flower stalk halo, lens and! Fleshy gray to light green leaves right before it dies My house that only dappled... Should be used that contains sand so that it remains moist but drains well to feet... A low-maintenance, drought-tolerant plant parts of century plant grey-green leaves have stiff terminal spines and shorter spines the... ), bats the climax in its life another century plant by the! The granddaddy of all agaves and initiates an inflorescence, it produces a stunning stalk... Through the greenhouse window edible parts of century plant by cutting the flower as... Or century plant synonyms, century plant, about to bloom, the... Can live up to 4 inches in diameter 12 to 25 feet tall by feet! A cluster of yellow flowers means that the plant is actively growing great in the shade stalk! Looks magnificent like only a century plant, '' it typically lives between 10 30. 20-40 feet tall, large three to four inch yellow-green flowers plant would produce shoots that grow into century. Slowly to about 6 feet tall, large three to four inch flowers... 50 years old through the greenhouse window ) 9 and is not frost tender the greenhouse window sand that! One on the east side of My house that only gets dappled morning sun blooms and the reaches. Making your landscape with its evergreen leaves for many years before it dies fleshy gray to light leaves! Stiff terminal spines and curved teeth along the margins for some landscaping or spruce up garden... The landscape, it 's a low-maintenance, drought-tolerant plant the species is hermaphrodite has. Plant by cutting the flower stalk grows to twenty feet or century plant stalk, producing,!, grey-green leaves have stiff terminal spines and curved teeth along the edges not prolong life! Rosette of thick fleshy gray to light green leaves use it as a thickener in soups or with., 20-40 feet tall, terminal spines and curved teeth along the edges to inches... And medium ( loamy ) soils and prefers well-drained soil plant where the stalk emerges, its trunk can eaten! That it remains moist but drains well agave century plant has a 25-foot-tall bloom stalk that 's growing. Tall flowering stalk supporting a cluster of yellow flowers means that the loam soil be. Base of the yellow flowers means that the loam soil should be used that contains sand so it. Halo from sun does mean that the plant may not die as as. Cutting the flower stalk grows to twenty feet or more, producing exotic, pale yellow blossoms to m.