So anyway, the plant begins to put out clusters of blooms.
As you can see when you look closer, these are what I would call bloom pods.
Now we move on to the penultimate stage, where the red pods open and the true blossoms burst forth in a blaze of . . . surprise . . . yellow color.
Once the plant has fully bloomed it's bye-bye, baby. The mighty Century Plant, having put on a fabulous show, will die. As my friend Phil commented, it reminds him of the salmon in the Pacific Northwest that spawn and then die.
Thanks for that, Bruce. That took how many days? Lori
ReplyDeleteProbably about 6 weeks or so.
DeleteThis brings up a deep philosophical question. Is time linear or does everything happen at once? Is life one circle of rebirth or is birth, sex, and death random events? Is the life of the Century Plant one big predestined happening or a series of events?
ReplyDeleteI just report the facts. I don't explain 'em.
DeleteTomorrow I'm posting a story about a century plant. If it's okay with you I 'd like to add a link to your post.
ReplyDeleteBe my guest.
DeleteWow, what gorgeous flowers. I guess you could say it gave it's all.
ReplyDeleteS
Good post and photos of the bloom. We see them out here. They go with a flourish. Succulents and such are amazing.
ReplyDeleteFabulous and marvellous!! But why is it called Century Plant if it dies so young?
ReplyDeleteAnd does the whole tree just shrivel up, dry up? What happens to the roots, can't they be resurrected?
Now I'll have to look up this plant.
Legend says it only blooms after one hundred years. But the legend is wrong. As for the rest . . as you said "you'll just have to look it up."
DeleteSuper post and great photos.
ReplyDeleteoh my goodness- thanks for sharing these magnificent photos- does it have a fragrance and does it attract birds or bees? Thanks to Stephen Hayes referring your blog - I've always wondered about the Century plant!
ReplyDeleteWe have an Orchid Cactus that came from a start of a Grandmothers plant. It had never bloomed for all the years we've had it until this year- we think it's because we moved to a warmer, sunnier and dryer climate two years ago. You can see it here within this post just scroll down :
http://katheworsley.blogspot.com/2014/05/once-again-its-six-word-saturday-and.html
Cheers and thanks again!
Kathe W., thanks for stopping by. I suspect the plant attracts bees. The blossoms were high enough that I couldn't detect any fragrance.
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