Centurial~

On By cindy knokeIn Birds, Conservation, Flowers, GARDENING AT THE HOLLER, HOLLER HAPPENINGS, MY PHOTOGRAPHS, REVERIES, Wild Life

Century Plants look like giant asparagus and are members of the aspargus family.

Their name is derived because they are said to bloom,

once a century,

and then die.

We have at least a hundred or more at The Holler.

When they bloom,

the stalks are well over 20 feet tall.

They are magnets for pollinators,

especially bees and hummingbirds.

The hummingbirds fight relentlessly for control over the massive stalks.

Our century plants bloom about every ten years and reproduce prodigiously via underground root systems.

Cheers to you from The Holler Centurions~

221 thoughts on “Centurial~”

  1. Absolutely mind boggling – I never heard of this plant, but they definitely look like the asparagus DNA is in them. And then that the hummingbirds would flock around them!! Thanks, Cindy!!

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  7. These are amazing plants, Cindy, and your photos are wonderful. Great job capturing the hummingbirds! I’ve seen these at our botanical gardens and they were covered in bees.

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          1. Carolina Mom

            Impressionnant, continuons à parler français à partir de maintenant. J’ai besoin de pratiquer mon français avec quelqu’un. Je le perds. 😅

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              1. Carolina Mom

                Alors, combien d’autres langues parlez-vous ? Tu sais que j’ai une histoire à te raconter sur l’espagnol.

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                1. Je parle espagnol et anglais couramment. Je peux me débrouiller en italien, même si j’ai l’air d’une Américaine hispanophone parlant italien. Je suis nul en français. Sans espoir au portugais.

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  10. I didn’t know that the hummingbirds went for these blossoms, and I didn’t know that the century plants bloom about every ten years. Good lesson for me, and lovely photos to illustrate what you’re talking about.

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  11. Why did I think broccoli? But asparagus is fine by me, besides being a good name for a cat. Don’t think I don’t notice you only do wonderful photographs. Just like these. And who’d guess you found hummingbirds! Bees and hummers I like. Love how they hover sometimes right near your face, curious, unlike most birds. Wonder what that means. Seem to recall a “centuary” plant on my college campus, but looked nothing like this. Bamboo too, all those of same species, when their time arrives, they all die off, same time, no matter where. Ain’t life amazing! Always thanks Cindy, always.

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  12. WOW!!! I have never heard about Century Plants before, Cindy. They are remarkable for their staying power. I am amazed that you are able to capture hummingbirds in flight!

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    1. Do you know the hummers fight to have sole control of a 26 foot or so stalk loaded with more nectar than 30 could consume! They remind me of capitalist humans 😉

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  16. I had no idea of their being relatives of asparagus! I hope yours don’t all bloom in the same year? Do you have some blooming every year? It’s so great that they are enjoyed by the pollinators!

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    1. Scay thought! They bloom a few at a time here thankfully, although more are blooming every year. They reproduce and make pups. Pups are continuously being born and going through the life cycle so hopefully there never will be too many blooming at a time დ

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  29. We used to have them at the back of our primary school but I never got to see the beauty of their bloom like you have here…but I suppose that’s understandable, I did leave the school when I was a grand old 12yrs old, the next flowering may have been a few more years away 🤣 Great pictures Cindy, thank you. It is good to finally see the end result 😀❤️🙏

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    1. Smiling! Hummingbirds are consumate arbiters of good taste. Except when they fight for sole control of a massive stalk. Then they behave more like greedy capitalists! 😉 😉 I love them დ

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        1. Never enough hummers! They’re tiny and adorable, so they can behave like greedy capitalists when the century plants bloom, and I will still love them. (They do sort of remind me of myself in a rare visit to the ice cream shop!) 😉

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  40. I love those plants, fantastic that yours bloom so often. Enjoy then,
    They look gorgeous, specially with those hummingbirds around.
    Super pictures.

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  43. We have century plants where I live. One bloomed a few years ago and then bloomed again a couple of years later. I never saw hummers on it, though. I love your photos of them.

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  51. So the weather is ‘strange’ out there too?
    What’s stranger too is that plants and animals still seem to do
    their thing almost unnoticeably. The ‘Century Plants’ and hummingbirds
    still are doing what they do and even when they do what they do.
    Nature. amazing nature!

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  52. Hummingbirds are common in Texas but the last couple of years I haven’t been able to attract any. My Granny had two feeds hanging in the tree right out her front door, she would stand there for hours or sit on the porch and watch them. She was so devoted to the little bird. Great photos.

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    1. That is sad and worrisome that you haven’t been able to attract any of them. I hear Rufous hummers pictured in this post are now an endangered species. I am just like your grandmother! დ

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    1. Since we have them in all stages of the life cycle, we get a few blooming every year at the exact same time. If they all bloomed and died at once it would be a big problem. I think we planted about 8 of them and now have over a hundred! დ

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    1. So happy to show you something new & very pleased you enjoyed. We are surrounded by nature here which is why we moved here. Take good care & thanks for stopping by დ

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  60. Your photos are stunning, Cindy. I never tire of hummingbirds. I’m glad you mentioned this plant and its resemblance to asparagus. We spotted one a block over and jokingly called it “the asparagus plant.” It grew to a tremendous height and I’m pretty sure it flowered as well. Now I understand why it didn’t grow like that the following year. Thanks for the education and the beauty.

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  61. Love the thought of giant asparagus 😃 Great name for them! Amazing creations, and at 1st glance they made me think of my Happy Bean Plant but on a much larger scale! That sits on the window ledge

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  65. Cindy, your hummers are gorgeous — such brave, wee birdies! And I’m fascinated by your Century Plant — it does look like a big asparagus!

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  68. I’ve seen them in Florida. An impressive sight towering over the houses. I didn’t know they were in the asparagus family. Or that they attracted hummingbirds. Thanks.

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  72. Hola Cindy, Que tal? (Two Brits retired in Spain…which we love!) They say we learn something new each day! Fabulous photos; thank you. Met a beautiful humming-bird in the Bahamas on holiday once, and was absolutely delighted. Cheers! xx

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  76. Mary Sweeney

    Cindy, Love hummingbirds but I never get to seem this close up! The Holler is such a beautiful place with lots of pretty plants and birds. Thanks for sharing them. You have your own little paradise there.

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  78. Your photos always remind me how different the world is in different regions – I mean in terms of the natural environment that you capture amazingly. Lovely photos Cindy!

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