Gulf Breeze, Florida (PNJ) -- After the pine tree in their back yard succumbed to the Florida heat
28 years ago, Theo and Winky Buttrum knew the 18-inch diameter hole it
left would have to be filled.
Not only did
they have rambunctious grandchildren to keep safe, but the chasm left
an unsightly gap in the yard's line of foliage.
found an instant landscaping solution after Theo's mother, who was
visiting from Texas, left a century plant at the couple's Santa Rosa
Park home in Gulf Breeze.
"I just stuck it in that hole," Winky said. "I didn't put any dirt or anything in it."
Today, nearly three decades and many hurricanes later, the 24-foot-tall plant towers over the Buttrum home.
spiny stalk and huge serrated leaves can be seen easily from the street
and spark the curiosity of neighbors who often stop by to view the
plant on their morning walks.
The Agave americana
in the Buttrums' yard is a desert plant that can grow as tall as 30
feet with massive gray-green leaves that often reach more than 6 feet in
Century plant is a misnomer, because its lifespan generally ranges from 10 to 30 years.
And now, that long life is about to end in beauty.
the peak of a century plant's bloom, groups of yellow flowers sprout
from the ends of horizontal branches at the top of the stalk. The
flowering process lasts approximately a week and then, the plant dies
Buttrums' plant was in middle bloom last weekend before they noticed
any significant changes at the top of the stalk. New growth has happened
overnight for the past week.
wondered, when in the world is this thing gonna bloom!" Theo Buttram
said. "We'd hear rumors that it lives until it dies. It'll bloom, then
it'll die and that's the end of it. And that's true!"
species is most commonly found in Mexico and parts of the southwestern
United States, but its resiliency allows it to survive in other dry, hot
places with little to no maintenance.
The plant is similar to the blue agave plant used in the manufacture of tequila and mescal.