Kew Gardens observes rare death bloom of Agave montana

A rare agave montana, a plant native to north-eastern Mexico, has begun its ‘death bloom’ at Kew Gardens in London. The three-metre succulent, which was planted approximately 20 years ago, is entering a final reproductive cycle that will result in a massive cluster of thousands of flowers before the plant dies.

The plant is currently producing a peduncle, an asparagus-shaped shoot that is expected to reach five metres in height. It will sprout yellow and pink flowers next spring after a period of winter dormancy. Botanists at Kew Gardens are looking to cross-pollinate the species and have described the event as a “once-in-a-lifetime botanical experience.”

Thomas Freeth, head of collection management at Kew Gardens, suggested that the timing of the bloom may be linked to recent record-breaking extreme heat, noting that such events serve as a “tell-tale sign of our rapidly changing climate.”