Saturday, April 28, 2012

Tale Of The Giant Asparagus

 

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There is a giant asparagus growing in Rockhound State Park. The stalk is at least 10 feet tall, and over the couple of weeks we’ve been here we’ve noticed something emerging from the leaves along the stalk. This was taken yesterday.

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Quite a bit of growth in 24 hours..

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This is the Agave Americana, or century plant. What I didn’t realize is that it is monocarpic, which means after it flowers, at anywhere from 10-50 years of age, the entire plant dies. Luckily it produces off shoots at the base so it propagates itself, and this one had several. Nature is so amazing!

Had my tooth decision made easier yesterday while talking on the phone with the dentist’s office. He had a change in schedule and would not be able to see me until Friday the 4th. Since we plan to be in Silver City then for the Tour of the Gila bike race, I figured that was my sign that I should just wait. Also it has been feeling better the last several days. If I continue having problems I will just deal with it somewhere down the road. There will always be a dentist willing to take my money anywhere we go and Jim is living proof of that!

Tomorrow we’ll be stopping at City of Rocks State Park for a couple nights.

8 comments:

  1. WOW that's amazing......Pat

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  2. Fascinating plant; had never heard of it before.

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  3. Your title caught my eye, and I have admit that it does look like a giant asparagus! Nifty!

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  4. What an awesome plant. How lucky you two are to get to see it since it dies right after it blooms. How cool is that!
    Glad the tooth is feeling better. What great timing for the dentist.
    Enjoy your travels.

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  5. I know you love your veggies but please don't eat that whole plant!

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  6. Wow thanks for the pictures of that. Are there a lot of them in the area or were you just lucky to get to see this one. I always thought the century plant only bloomed once a century and then died. Very cool. Thanks!!

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  7. Very cool picture of that Agave! You are so lucky to see it in that state.

    Hope the dentist problem just fades away.

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