Agave Question

[Gardian]

For the first time, this plant has produced this monster ‘growth’ with what you might loosely describe as flowers.

What are the circumstances that have led to this we’re wondering?  Presumably it’ll die away eventually?

Any insight gratefully received.

[Harnser]

"Each agave plant produces several pounds of edible flowers during its final season"

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agave#Images_of_species_and_cultivars

[Loiseau]

Surely that's a yucca?  Spectacular flowers, but horrible ferociously sharp leaves. I used to cut the tips off ours, for fear that children would run into them.

[menthe]

I too thought it was a yucca.  My neighbour had one and I remember going there for lunch and sitting on a chair next to her yucca.  Ouch.....I guess she didn't much care for me...😏

[Harnser]

It looks like it is a Yucca...........

 https://www.flowersforhealing.com/product/yucca-flower/

[Gardian]

Yes, thanks everybody for correcting me.

However, may I return to my original question over what caused it to suddenly ‘flower’?  I can’t remember exactly how long we’ve had it, but it must be about 15 years. 

[menthe]

Gardian, you were not wrong to call it an agave because the yucca does belong to the agave family.

These plants do not flower until they reach maturity.  How long maturity takes, I do not, alas, know.  Also, from observing my neighbour's yuccas, they seem to flower in a haphazard manner.  Some years they do not flower at all.  This year, however, all the yuccas I have seen have abundant flowers.  Even though I don't like yuccas, I have to admit they are very beautiful around here.

Does this unusually plentiful flowering have something to do with the drought we have had?

[Loiseau]

Ours didn’t flower for years, then amazed us by producing that dazzling flower. Can’t remember how frequently thereafter, bu5 maybe not every year.

in fact, my late husband had grown a load from seed; they germinated very successfully, so he offered them around to our Vendée neighbours - who all turned them down flat! They had clearly encountered them before.

Yuccas are fabulous "architectural plants", for giving structure to a garden, but beware of planting them alongside a path etc, as the stiff leaves are as sharp as swords.