Chicago conservatory's Agave tops 15 feet, set to bloom

CHICAGO (AP) - An agave plant at a Chicago conservatory has grown to over 15 feet in height - roughly triple its expected size - and is set to bloom in coming weeks for the only time in its roughly 35-year lifespan.

The Agave guiengola at the Garfield Park Conservatory's Desert House was expected to reach 4 to 6 feet tall. But after growing for just over a month, the Chicago Sun-Times reports the flower 'œspike'ť was measured at just over 15 feet last week. And it's still growing.

'œI'm not sure what to say anymore,'ť said florticulturist Ray Jorgensen. "It's just going crazy.'ť

The agave's spike is now covered in tiny green buds that will broom in the next few weeks. It will then slowly die over the following months.

The plant is part of the asparagus family, and is native to Oaxaca, Mexico. Jorgenson believes it may be growing taller than anticipated because of the way it's 'œpampered'ť at the conservatory.

But it's unlikely to grow as tall as the conservatory's Agave americana, which reached roughly 38 feet in 2019 and required staff to remove a glass panel in the building's roof.