dwarf century plant, Agave desmettiana

Ten feet tall and it's a dwarf? This is a relatively short century, which makes it ideal for conservatories. Others may require removal of glass roof panels when they finally send up a shoot. And of course, blooming is kind of final for century plants. This one has a bit of a different way of responding to those final moments. It never develops seeds. Dwarf century skips right past the seed process and produces small plants in their place. The species has a relatively short life, far less than a century. This is the second generation I've seen blooming at this particular conservatory. Dwarf century is suspected to be an ancient cultivar. It has been introduced into FL from Mexico. Hidden Lake Gardens, Lenawee Co MI, 1/21/22. Century-plant family, Agavaceae.