Part of learning to enjoy desert living has me reading field guides and plant identification books.One plant has really grown on me; it's currently one of my favorites. I guess it's a whole family of plants, the Agavaceae family. Or agaves and yuccas for those of us who just identify plants because we're curious, not because we're botanists.
If you're like me, if you saw an agave, you'd probably think they were another form of cactus. But they're not. You know all the cute little succulent people grow in pots? Imagine those times 300. They're huge succulents. But their flowers are what sold me.From the midst of their succulent-y leaves they grow this huge stem. Sometimes one, sometimes more. A huge stem that then grows flowers on the tip.
Or, like the one I saw today (and took a crazy turn off the main road to snap a picture while sitting at a stoplight), grow flowers all up the stem. It's crazy. And I love it.
A desert in bloom really is a beautiful sight, even if we're just seeing from the road!
(Bonus points if you can see a jack rabbit in one of these pictures!)
4 comments:
We had giant agave plants at our old house. We had to dig them up because they were razor sharp and they hurt really bad if you got poked by one. Couldn't have them around the kids. They're pretty, though.
I WIN BONUS POINTS!
Love your pictures. It is much mor beautiful than the rainy weather we are having. Very dreary. Thanks for the color.
I found the jack rabbit! It was just a little blur!
This evening when I was driving to the church, I had to take a detour in Littleton. On one of the back roads, what did I see waddling across the road in front of me like I wasn't even there?
A fat little beaver!
Then, when I got to Groton, a fox crossed the road in front of me!
What a WILD night!
Bonus! I didn't notice it at first though--had to go back through.
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