Agave Revisited

One of the most captivating things about cactus and succulents is the variety of their form and color. From some of the most spectacular flowers in the world, to some of the most remarkable colors and adaptations, succulents and cactus take the lead. This is another variety of agave. Rather than the gray-green of the most common type here in Arizona, this one is a vibrant green. These plants are not "cactus" although most people, even here, would put them in that category. Cactus are a very specific kind of succulent with very specialized spines. Agaves are also called Spanish dagger or Century Plants. The main plant sends up a flower stalk and then dies. However, the roots of the plant send up shoots and in reality, the plant continues to grow from the surrounding shoots.