Denver Botanic Garden's rare "death bloom" nears its end

Denver Botanic Garden's rare "death bloom" nears its end

The Utah agave at the Denver Botanic Gardens survived hail storms, snowstorms and a polar vortex. But like any living thing, it can't outrun Mother Nature.

The big picture: The plant recently reached its "death bloom," producing a stalk over 10 feet tall.

Zoom in: The 25-year-old agave — a relative of the plant used to make tequila — towers above its display at Water Smart Garden, visible just a few steps away from its York Street entrance.

  • It's the Garden's star attraction, straining anyone's neck curious enough to see the plant in its totality. It will stay up as long as it's safe, assistant curator of native plants at Denver Botanic Gardens Laura Swain tells us.

    • A close-up of the flowers from the Utah agave's stalk at the Denver Botanic Gardens. Photo: Esteban L. Hernandez/Axios

    Between the lines: The plant has about three to four more weeks left before it dies, Swain notes.

    The intrigue: Agaves are monocarpic, meaning they die after they flower once, Swain tells us.

  • The plant is originally from a Utah agave subspecies naturally occurring in the North Rim of the Grand Canyon. Swain is hopeful the plant will produce seeds that can be collected and used to grow future plants.

    • If you go: Admission at the Botanic Gardens (1007 York St.) is $18.25 for adults.