Native Plants
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Q. Who is Mr. Smarty Plants?
A: There are those who suspect Wildflower Center volunteers are the culpable and capable culprits. Yet, others think staff members play some, albeit small, role. You can torture us with your plant questions, but we will never reveal the Green Guru's secret identity.
Did you know you can access the Native Plant Information Network with your web-enabled smartphone?
Ask Mr. Smarty Plants is a free service provided by the staff and volunteers at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.
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Sunday - May 01, 2011
From: Carson, CA
Region: California
Topic: Cacti and Succulents
Title: Agave with large stem growing
Answered by: Nan Hampton
QUESTION:
It is a large stem growing from my agave plant in the middle of it. It looks scary and ugly, what is it? Is it poisonous? Is it rare? It gets taller and taller everyday, what to cut it.ANSWER:
Congratulations! Your agave is about to have a blossom. This is both good news and bad news. This means that your agave is going to make seeds for a new generation of plants, but it also means that your present agave will die. That's just what they do and there isn't anything you can do to stop it from happening. There should be 'pups' (small new agaves) beginning to grow around the large plant that will grow into new plants. Here are some links to other questions we have had about the process of blooming and dying for agaves:
Enjoy the beautiful bloom that your agave produces and then enjoy watching the 'pups' grow and bloom in their own time.
More Cacti and Succulents Questions
Bloom stalks on agave plants
September 26, 2007 - Hi,
We have Agave plants in our garden for years. But in the past few weeks, we noticed a giant asparagus looking thing growing out in the middle of the plants. We don't know what it is, but every d...
view the full question and answer
Speeding up growth of Hesperaloe parviflora (red yucca)
January 12, 2012 - I have germinated Hesperaloe parviflora, Red Yucca, for our Caddo Native plant sale. I have kept in the cool greenhouse for 2 months and they are about 2 inches. A friend put one outside and they froz...
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Propagation of Agave americana by seed
July 11, 2007 - Dear Mr Smarty Pants,
My Century Plant is fulfilling its one wish and blooming flowers from its massive stalk. Although I am very sad to see it go, it is certainly a sight to behold. This plant, ...
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Plants for big pots by pool in Austin
August 14, 2012 - Could you please suggest some plants to put in big pots out by my pool? They will get lots of heat and sun.
Thanks.
view the full question and answer
Getting rid of yucca plants in Blanco, TX
May 12, 2009 - How does a person get rid of Yucca plants? We have four fig trees that do not bear figs, what do we need to do? We live in SE Blanco County, Texas.
view the full question and answer
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