Depending on species, the flower stalks may be six to 30 feet tall. Once the plant has blossomed, all of its energy spent producing the flower stalk, the mother plant dies. Future plants grow from seeds, bulbils and vegetative offshoots called pups. Most agaves do not automatically bloom when they reach a certain age. Prevailing weather plays a role in stimulating flowering.
Agaves grow in habitats that lack abundant rainfall or in which water drains quickly.
Temperatures range from warm to extremely hot. The slow-growth habit and delayed blooming are survival adaptations to these conditions. The Gardens are located at 1800 N. Dixboro Road. For information, call 998-7061.