Return to Plant Happenings

The UC Botanical Garden is home to a large collection of agaves-- about 80 species. Many bloom each year, but a particularly exciting bloom is in progress now -- photo gallery.

History: In 1993 we received a plant originally labelled Agave macroculmis, but subsequently changed to A. gentryi, and is now sometimes sold as 'Jaws' because of the large tooth-like serrated edges. Our plant shows the ‘teeth’ when young, but they are less dramatic in the mature specimen ( click here for images). We are now offering some of the young plants shown for sale.

Our plant was collected in northern Miquihuana Municipio, Tamaulipas, Mexico (UC Catalog Number: 93.0229) and given to the Garden in 1993 by John Fairey (of Peckerwood Garden). Images of it in habitat are available at http://www.oasisdesigns.co.uk/mexico%20p6.htm. It also occurs at 8,000 feet elevation in the mountainous areas of Nuevo Leon in northern Mexico where it grows in pine forests. San Marcos Growers and Yucca Do Nursery describe theirs as a medium-sized rosette-forming succulent with glossy apple green leaves to 3 feet tall by 4-5 feet wide. However, one look at the magnificent specimen in the UC Botanical Garden tells a different story: The succulent leaves are already 8 feet tall and about 10 feet wide. It is growing in full sun in the New World Desert collection next to the main road.

The Bloom is coming: We are excited to see the bloom for several reasons. First, our plant has never bloomed before and we can find no good description of the bloom elsewhere. This is not surprising since agaves commonly require 25-60 years before they bloom. Our 15 year old may be blooming prematurely. Thus, we are especially excited to witness the event. Photo Gallery

We are expecting a large yellow show of enormous proportions. The first hint of a bloom was the appearance of an ‘asparagus-like’ shoot in early September. It has been steadily increasing, still resembling a giant asparagus stalk, ever since and is now over 18 ft tall.

Remember that most agaves are monocarpic which means that they die after blooming, so you will not want to miss this one. Fortunately, the plant has several small offsets so we may have the opportunity to witness it again in this century, but why wait!

Return to Plant Happenings

Admission : $7 for adults, $5 for seniors and $2 for children ages 3 through 12. The Garden is open daily from 9 AM to 5 PM year round.