80-Year-Old American Agave Plant - A 28 ft tall American agave plant that has stood in the University Of Michigan Matthaei Botanical Gardens is set to be cut down after it blossomed and produced seeds last year.
American agave, which is usually found in tropical places, is a monocarpic plant. This means that it will blossom only once in its lifetime. The 80-year-old American agave plant in UM botanical gardens just took longer than usual to blossom, but like other plants of the same specie it has reportedly started to die since then.
"There's really no value to leaving it up anymore, because it's going downhill so quickly," explains Mike Palmer, the horticulture manager at the UM botanical garden where the plant was grown.
Experts at the Matthaei Botanical Gardens have failed to explain why the plant took so long to blossom and produce seed. Usually the entire lifespan of an American agave plant is about 10 to 30 years. While the fact that the 80-year-old American agave plant is dying after blossoming is consistent with the nature of the specie, scientists have not conclusively explained why this happens. One popular theory is that the plant uses most of its vital energy in the process of blossoming and reproducing.
The 80-year-old American agave at the University of Michigan was reportedly brought to the school from New Mexico by a graduate student. It is said to have spent more than 3 decades in a pot before being moved into the conservatory in the sixties.
Palmer revealed that the plant produced "tons" of seeds. Some will be sent to botanical gardens across the country and others will be sold in the university's garden store.
Meanwhile, Palmer has revealed that he doesn't know what to do with the giant stalk of the 80-year-old American agave plant. One popular idea is that the fibrous wood is used to produce a musical instrument. Palmer has revealed that a sample of the wood has been sent to the musical department for analysis.
The 80-year-old American agave plant will be brought down next month. But officials have not announced any particular date for the event.
