one agave, eight ways (december bloom day)
For December 15’s Garden Bloggers Bloom Day I’m trying something new. Instead of showing you all the almost ever-blooming things in the garden I’m highlighting a single plant, the foxtail agave (Agave attenuata) that’s finally blooming after a decade and a half in the ground. I posted before on how the monster bloom spike has collided with some some nearby plants. Over the weekend the thousands of buds on the spike began to open.
In homage to artists who take one subject and try to make it interesting in multiple ways, here are some of the first photos of the plant in bloom. I’m not sure which is my favorite photo so far. Maybe the fourth? Maybe the fifth?
Still, it’s hard to begin to do justice to an awesome plant.
A few other things are blooming, but it’s December and the pickings are slim: a couple of California natives, some late-season blooms on Santa Cruz Island buckwheat (Eriogonum arborescens) and first-of-the-season blooms on the desert mallow (Sphaeralcea ambigua).
Oxalis purpurea, early in the morning, before it’s fully expanded…
Leonotis leonorus coming back into bloom…
When so little is in flower, you might pay attention to some of the less significant flowers on plants that are grown primarily for their foliage and structure. These three senecio species would only win “nice personality” in a floral beauty pageant (Senecio cylindricus, S. articulatus, S. mandraliscae).
In fact, the agave I showed earlier is a plant that’s most often used for its terrific architectural structure, in part because it flowers so infrequently. But when that one blooms, there’s no ignoring it.
Thanks to Carol at May Dreams Gardens for hosting Bloom Day!
December 14 2009 09:48 pm | Categories: gardening • my garden | Tags: Agave attenuata • Garden Bloggers Bloom Day • gbbd
ryan on 15 Dec 2009 at 12:21 am #
Very cool. I’d say an agave merits at least eight photos. It has fifteen years of bloom days to make up for…
Darla on 15 Dec 2009 at 3:48 am #
That foxtail is amazing!
Helen at Toronto Gardens on 15 Dec 2009 at 4:46 am #
Wow. [But imagine that said on one long, slow expression of breath]
Town Mouse on 15 Dec 2009 at 7:27 am #
Wow! That’s one amazing plant! I’d love to have one in my neighbor’s garden…
Happy bloom day!
dan on 15 Dec 2009 at 8:25 am #
What a striking bloom!
jodi (bloomingwriter) on 15 Dec 2009 at 9:02 am #
Take comfort in knowing that even if there’s not much blooming in your garden, anything is more than what’s blooming outdoors in this Nova Scotia garden! Love the agave flower shots.
Meredith on 15 Dec 2009 at 9:50 am #
It’s definitely number 3 for my favorite shot. Number 7 is great, too. That bloom spike is magnificent, and I’m glad you showed it from all different angles, since I’ve never seen anything like it live.
Stevie on 15 Dec 2009 at 10:03 am #
I LOVE the focus on one plant - you really took some stunning photos of the agave. Wow.
Susie on 15 Dec 2009 at 11:32 am #
Looks great…good idea to take shots from different perspectives, with a plant that size it’s easy to do….I love the closeups!
andrea on 15 Dec 2009 at 12:43 pm #
yes, the foxtail agave is striking in its structure AND color variations - an inspiring and refreshing look of the traditional holiday color scheme, don’t you think?
Carol on 15 Dec 2009 at 2:43 pm #
Utterly exotic and beautiful. Gaga over your Agave!
Amy F on 16 Dec 2009 at 6:31 am #
Gorgeous photos of the agave. The fourth is my favorite, but I love the way they work all together to give you a sense of the plant. So, just 15 years till bloom, eh?
Brad B on 16 Dec 2009 at 8:40 am #
#4 and #5 are great photos. I also really like #7. And the oxalis bloom unfurling is awesome. I posted 4 pics of the same plant on my bloom day post, mainly because I couldn’t decide which looked best and they showed the different views of the plant. I like your idea of focusing on one plant. You should think about doing it again in the future. You take great pics.
Lynn on 16 Dec 2009 at 6:26 pm #
What a great approach in honor of the late-coming agave. I think 4 & 5 are my faves, too, and I really like seeing the close-up of the single bloom. “ever-blooming” plants…sigh.
Joco on 17 Dec 2009 at 7:29 am #
Hiya James,
It is snowing so I am staying indoors doing a belated GBBD round.
That Agave is certainly majestic, but I find the unfurling oxalis very endearing.I wonder of the exotic cut-flower we can buy over here, Lisianthus, is in the same family.Your Christmas Card is HERE
leavesnbloom on 17 Dec 2009 at 7:53 am #
Photo number 3 for me! that agave is amazing. Loved looking at the rest of your blooms………… never heard of a few of those plants before.
Pam/Digging on 17 Dec 2009 at 8:20 pm #
Now that’s what I’m talking about! Great bloom for Bloom Day.
steve on 18 Dec 2009 at 8:15 am #
LOL, James. Had to laugh at the “nice personality” picture for our unspectacular little plant. Man, the “foxtail” Agave is well named. What a stunning bloom and your pictures are simply gorgeous.
rebecca sweet on 20 Dec 2009 at 7:54 am #
What a great idea to focus Garden Blogger’s Bloom Day on such a fantastic plant - if I had a plant like that growing in my garden, I’d want to highlight it as well…thanks for the beautiful photos!
lostlandscape on 22 Dec 2009 at 7:49 pm #
Thanks for all your comments, everyone! I really enjoy taking one thing and trying to make it interesting as many ways as possible—think of Northern Europe and the potato! (Hmmm…does that make the agave the equivalent of my potato?) For those of you who are bloggers, I’ve had a great time visiting your them recently, whether to see your bloomday posts or the other things going on in your gardens and lives. Carol has done a great service, giving us this great way to connect.
Greg on 31 Dec 2009 at 4:44 am #
Wow, I’ve been away too long…and obviously, the punishment is missing great photos like these. That agave is really quite something to see. Thanks for all these great shots.
[ Lost in the Landscape ] » agave update on 31 Dec 2009 at 6:34 am #
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