One of my agave plants is in full bloom. After it blooms the plant dies. But the colors change before it's all over is really neat to see. Usually
this plant is dark dark green. As the life is sucked out of the plant when it blooms, it turns various colors. Bob H
Bob-----
Barry A. - 12-20-2006 at 05:52 PM
----that is so neat-----I was not aware that the parts other than the flower changed color during the process. Beautiful delicate colors. (Biggest
asparigus (sp?) spears on the planet, or so my son says)
Thanks for posting.David K - 12-20-2006 at 07:48 PM
Agave in Baja!
Mexitron - 12-21-2006 at 07:52 AM
I was driving in the foothills behind San Quintin years ago...for about a mile-long stretch there were thousands of Agave Shawii which had all bloomed
that year and were all turning red--very surreal...! I think I have pics but they're in Oregon and I'm not--will get them at Xmas.Steve in Oro Valley - 12-21-2006 at 08:11 AM
Just a bit of interesting trivia concerning agaves:
NOT ALL agaves die upon blooming...
The polycephalae (multiple headed) Agave subgroup including Agave celsii (which is natural to cloud forests of the Sierra Madre Oriental of eastern
Mexico) produce more heads after blooming without die-off .
Agave celsii does fine as an ornamental in California and Arizona and is surprisingly drought and frost tolerant. Mine has bloomed several times over
the last 20 years in Oro Valley..
Feliz Navidad a todos,
Steve in Oro ValleyMexitron - 12-21-2006 at 03:09 PM
Steve--even some Agave shawii will pup out after blooming and the main stalk dying--more so with the northern smaller coastal varieties but even
sometimes with the larger A. shawii in the Central BC regions(where they can get really big!)...I can't remember exactly but was it Gentry who broke
the Agave shawii into seven or eight regional variety's...?toneart - 12-21-2006 at 03:53 PM
Can you squeeze any tequila out of that thing?Steve in Oro Valley - 12-21-2006 at 04:20 PM
Tequila comes only from Agave tequilensis...
All other agaves give us pulque or mescal...
And yes, Howard Gentry wrote the definitive work on Agaves : AGAVES OF CONTINENTAL NORTH AMERICA..
Steve in Oro Valleytoneart - 12-21-2006 at 04:38 PM
Thank you, Steve, for clearing that up. I doubt whether my head is all that clear though, because I think I am afflicted with Agave
tequilensis...!Mexitron - 12-21-2006 at 04:42 PM
Quote:
Originally posted by toneart
Can you squeeze any tequila out of that thing?
I don't know if that Agave would make very good hooch, but
one trick I learned from the locals for cooking mussels--find a dead Agave shawii and put any number of mussels into the leaf crevices. Torch the
Agave and when the fire goes down the mussels are ready--serve with lime, melted butter, and, of course, some good Tequila. Real nice smoky flavor!
Agave
tehag - 12-21-2006 at 05:19 PM
I think this is an agave. It spikes once and dies. This one is already surrounded by so many pups it won't be missed much. They flower hugely and very
quickly.
These pics are dated 10/16, 10/30, and 11/17/2006
[Edited on 12-22-2006 by tehag]
[Edited on 12-22-2006 by tehag]
10/30
tehag - 12-21-2006 at 05:25 PM
11/17
tehag - 12-21-2006 at 05:27 PM
Agave bud
Skipjack Joe - 12-21-2006 at 06:27 PM
Mango - 12-24-2006 at 01:06 AM
From the window of a speeding 2nd class bus just outside Tequila, Jalisco after haveing just completed extensive reseach in said town...
