Famed Halifax agave nears its end, its capacity for a final bloom unclear
Halifax’s famed agave plant may yet sing its swan song, even as captivated onlookers have started to mourn the imposing succulent’s imminent death.
The Agave americana — native to desert climates like Mexico and the southwestern United States — made headlines last month after city officials moved it from a greenhouse to the Halifax Public Gardens in anticipation of its final farewell.
Once in its roughly 25-year lifetime, an asparagus-like stalk up to 12 metres tall shoots up from the desert plant and births a cluster of blooming flowers — and then dies.
Heidi Boutilier, a horticulture supervisor with the municipality, said the cooler spring temperatures in Halifax appear to have stunted the stalk’s growth, but it still may flower.