this post was submitted on 23 Mar 2026
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Agave stalk
Specifically, I think a green maguey https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agave_salmiana
Thanks. Interesting looking things. Are the bushy structures flowers?
It is common in that lineage of plants. Fwiw that lineage is named for the asparagus, Asparagaceae, and most of those in that family have similar inflorescences.
Agave is split between between inflorescent traits, arborescent and spicate.
Arborescent is tree like with branching inflorescences like shown in your photo.
Spicate are simply spikes with little to no branching. Foxtail agave, Agave attenuata, is a good example shown below:
Sorry for the TMI dump.
Don't apologize for sharing knowledge.
How dare you apologise, this shit is what I'm here for
Yes. They grow that stalk and flower and then die. The plant in the foreground will do the same one day.
Sure they die?
At least the agave on my windowsill grew one last year but is still totally alive and kicking right now...
Some species with flower repeatedly, some are growing for 30 years to build up enough energy to flower once and then they die.
I think that they may mean that the flowering stalk dies off, not the whole plant. That's how aloe do.
Agaves are broadly monocarpic, meaning that they only flower once and die. Some species do not though, and some individuals do not. Agaves are closely related to and can hybridize with manfredas, which are not monocarpic.
The world of plants is a big beautiful mess.
TIL, cool. Thanks