Native Plants
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
Ask Mr. Smarty Plants is a free service provided by the staff and volunteers at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.
rate this answer
Sunday - September 21, 2014
From: Willis, TX
Region: Southwest
Topic: Transplants, Cacti and Succulents
Title: Need help with century plant in Willis, TX
Answered by: Jimmy Mills
QUESTION:
Ok so I have two gorgeously monstrous century plants in my yard..I love em BUT I don't know if the have ever bloomed but since I am removing pups as fast as I can during the rainy season I'm assuming it has already.. My question is how to treat the parent plant and pups since parent seems to still be doing pretty well a little die off on the center but that's it and how much so I cut away of a pups root can I split the root to make several separate plants.. I'm a total novice with the gardening this being my first year with a yard and much of what I've learned is from how to gardening books and the internet :) (I realize I've asked about 20 questions sorry:/) Thanks ever so much for any tips hints or advice!ANSWER:
Ok so there are 9 different Agave species native to the US that have “century plant” as part of their common name; seven of those occur in Texas. The name of the species that you have is not terribly important, because they mostly behave similarly. Three of the more spectacular Texas examples in my view are:
Agave americana (American century plant)
Agave havardiana (Havard's century plant)
Agave parryi ssp. parryi (Century plant)
As to flowering, if your plants had flowered, you would know about it. The plant sends up massive flowering stalk as much as 15 feet tall from the center of the plant. Once flowering is done, the whole plant slowly dies.
The pups are a means of vegetative reproduction, and can be separated from the “parent plant”. This needs to be done carefully while avoiding the sharp-spine tipped leaves. This link to Birds and Blooms tells you how to do this.
Good luck, and be careful.
More Cacti and Succulents Questions
Lesions on Agave Leaves in Spring Branch, Texas
January 14, 2011 - I have a giant Agave americana that was beautiful until recently. Several of the leaves have lesions, some of them quite drastic, on the last third of the leaf. What is causing this?
view the full question and answer
Protecting agave pups in San Antonio
April 23, 2013 - I would like to share the soon to happen bloom of two century plants on my property; they are sisters planted at the same time. I am sad to know they will die but will do all that I can to protect the...
view the full question and answer
Can I trim back my 20 ft Yucca plant?
May 11, 2009 - I have a yucca tree which is about 20 ft. tall, has four main trunks. I would like to prune it to approx. 10 ft. but wonder if that will kill it or if new shoots will come out up near the cut.
view the full question and answer
Smarty Plants on bio-security
June 11, 2005 - Hello,
My friend and I are summer interns at the Bryan Mound Strategic Petroleum Reserve Site in Freeport, Texas. Our jobs as the interns is to find a plant that is friendly to the animals around our...
view the full question and answer
Yuccas and prickly pears for Warren MI
February 11, 2009 - What type of yuccas and prickly pears will survive in the Detroit, Michigan area? Also, can I grow Santa Rita prickly pear in a pot?
view the full question and answer
| Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today. |