By Emily Sharp
News Intern
Miracles are rare, but Wylie has its very own for homeowners Jeronimo and Lucy Cavazos.
The Cavazos have a century plant that is in full bloom, standing at more than 15 feet high. The plant sits across from a statue of the Virgin Mary in a garden in their front yard. It reached its height within two weeks of when it started flowering. Also known as agave Americana or blue agave, this plant lives 10-30 years before shooting up a flower stalk that can grow to be 25 feet tall before it dies.
The plant changes every day and already some of the yellow blossoms are dying. But their pollen and sugar are attracting tons of bees, a species that is rapidly disappearing, and providing them with as much nectar as they could want. Although the century plant doesn’t live to be a century old, it gets its name from the long time it takes to flower. The plant is also used to make tequila and honey water, but this must be done before the stalk shoots up at the end of its life.
“Those bees are in heaven,” Jeronimo said. “You can see them high as a kite. I don’t know how much longer it will be here though. It’s already dying. But it’s amazing to watch.”
This homeowner has worked hard to get to a place where he can sit in his yard watching the century plant change each day when he gets home from work and volunteering.
For the full story see the June 22 issue and the e-Edition at https://www.etypeservices.com/Murphy%20MonitorID247/default.aspx
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