The sacred Agave plant is our namesake and talisman. Agave Paryii is the Southwest New Mexico variety of plant that grows in many arid parts of the world. The common name, Century Plant, implies that they live for a 100 years before perishing in a magnificent display of colorful blooms on a long stalk. We haven’t watched any of them for a century, and we understand that it actually takes 20 to 40 years for the plants to mature and bloom.
Agaves were used for fiber and food by the Apaches and other Indians. The heart is bitter when raw, but can be made palatable by baking.
Our property is covered with Agaves, but only a few bloom each year. Some years we see as few as five blooms on our 21 acres. Other years we see hundreds of blooms. What causes the difference? The weather now? The weather 40 years ago?
The stalks of blooming plants burst out in May and grow very rapidly, sometimes a foot a week. They can reach a height of 15 feet. They blossom in the summer and by late fall the plants are dead. In the process the stalks sometimes go through color transformations including greens, yellows, reds, and oranges. The blossoms fall off and the plants gradually dry out and turn brown. By December they are ready to be cut down and decorated as Southwest Christmas trees. Left in the landscape, they stand as dark skeletal shapes for several years before falling and returning to the earth.
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<div class="atwk-slide"><div class="slide-content slide-image"><img class="atw-gallery-img" src="//agaveridgeretreat.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Agaves-Slider-23.jpg" alt="Blooms Have Fallen" srcset="//agaveridgeretreat.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Agaves-Slider-23.jpg 281w, //agaveridgeretreat.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Agaves-Slider-23-225x400.jpg 225w, //agaveridgeretreat.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Agaves-Slider-23-169x300.jpg 169w" sizes="(max-width: 281px) 100vw, 281px" />
<div class="atwk-caption">Blooms Have Fallen</div></div></div>
<div class="atwk-slide"><div class="slide-content slide-image"><img class="atw-gallery-img" src="//agaveridgeretreat.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Agaves-Slider-02.jpg" alt="Agave Starting to Bud" srcset="//agaveridgeretreat.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Agaves-Slider-02.jpg 375w, //agaveridgeretreat.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Agaves-Slider-02-300x400.jpg 300w, //agaveridgeretreat.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Agaves-Slider-02-225x300.jpg 225w" sizes="(max-width: 375px) 100vw, 375px" />
<div class="atwk-caption">Starting to Bud</div></div></div>
<div class="atwk-slide"><div class="slide-content slide-image"><img class="atw-gallery-img" src="//agaveridgeretreat.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Agaves-Slider-06.jpg" alt="A Herd of Agaves" srcset="//agaveridgeretreat.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Agaves-Slider-06.jpg 500w, //agaveridgeretreat.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Agaves-Slider-06-400x300.jpg 400w, //agaveridgeretreat.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Agaves-Slider-06-300x225.jpg 300w" sizes="(max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px" />
<div class="atwk-caption">A Herd of Agaves</div></div></div>
<div class="atwk-slide"><div class="slide-content slide-image"><img class="atw-gallery-img" src="//agaveridgeretreat.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Agaves-Slider-07.jpg" alt="Agave Sprouting Higher" srcset="//agaveridgeretreat.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Agaves-Slider-07.jpg 375w, //agaveridgeretreat.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Agaves-Slider-07-300x400.jpg 300w, //agaveridgeretreat.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Agaves-Slider-07-225x300.jpg 225w" sizes="(max-width: 375px) 100vw, 375px" />
<div class="atwk-caption">Sprouting Higher</div></div></div>
<div class="atwk-slide"><div class="slide-content slide-image"><img class="atw-gallery-img" src="//agaveridgeretreat.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Agaves-Slider-24.jpg" alt="Agave Stalk On Its Base" srcset="//agaveridgeretreat.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Agaves-Slider-24.jpg 281w, //agaveridgeretreat.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Agaves-Slider-24-225x400.jpg 225w, //agaveridgeretreat.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Agaves-Slider-24-169x300.jpg 169w" sizes="(max-width: 281px) 100vw, 281px" />
<div class="atwk-caption">A Stalk On Its Base</div></div></div>
<div class="atwk-slide"><div class="slide-content slide-image"><img class="atw-gallery-img" src="//agaveridgeretreat.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Agaves-Slider-03.jpg" alt="An Early Agave Bud" srcset="//agaveridgeretreat.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Agaves-Slider-03.jpg 375w, //agaveridgeretreat.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Agaves-Slider-03-300x400.jpg 300w, //agaveridgeretreat.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Agaves-Slider-03-225x300.jpg 225w" sizes="(max-width: 375px) 100vw, 375px" />
<div class="atwk-caption">An Early Bud</div></div></div>
<div class="atwk-slide"><div class="slide-content slide-image"><img class="atw-gallery-img" src="//agaveridgeretreat.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Agaves-Slider-16.jpg" alt="Like a Big Asparagus" srcset="//agaveridgeretreat.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Agaves-Slider-16.jpg 413w, //agaveridgeretreat.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Agaves-Slider-16-330x400.jpg 330w, //agaveridgeretreat.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Agaves-Slider-16-248x300.jpg 248w" sizes="(max-width: 413px) 100vw, 413px" />
<div class="atwk-caption">Like a Big Asparagus</div></div></div>
<div class="atwk-slide"><div class="slide-content slide-image"><img class="atw-gallery-img" src="//agaveridgeretreat.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Agaves-Slider-21.jpg" alt="A Stalk Turned Red" srcset="//agaveridgeretreat.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Agaves-Slider-21.jpg 281w, //agaveridgeretreat.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Agaves-Slider-21-225x400.jpg 225w, //agaveridgeretreat.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Agaves-Slider-21-169x300.jpg 169w" sizes="(max-width: 281px) 100vw, 281px" />
<div class="atwk-caption">A Stalk Turned Red</div></div></div>
<div class="atwk-slide"><div class="slide-content slide-image"><img class="atw-gallery-img" src="//agaveridgeretreat.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Agaves-Slider-13.jpg" alt="Long Agave Stalk" srcset="//agaveridgeretreat.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Agaves-Slider-13.jpg 281w, //agaveridgeretreat.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Agaves-Slider-13-225x400.jpg 225w, //agaveridgeretreat.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Agaves-Slider-13-169x300.jpg 169w" sizes="(max-width: 281px) 100vw, 281px" />
<div class="atwk-caption">Long Stalk</div></div></div>
<div class="atwk-slide"><div class="slide-content slide-image"><img class="atw-gallery-img" src="//agaveridgeretreat.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Agaves-Slider-20.jpg" alt="Flowers Almost Done" srcset="//agaveridgeretreat.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Agaves-Slider-20.jpg 367w, //agaveridgeretreat.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Agaves-Slider-20-294x400.jpg 294w, //agaveridgeretreat.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Agaves-Slider-20-220x300.jpg 220w" sizes="(max-width: 367px) 100vw, 367px" />
<div class="atwk-caption">Flowers Almost Done</div></div></div>
<div class="atwk-slide"><div class="slide-content slide-image"><img class="atw-gallery-img" src="//agaveridgeretreat.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Agaves-Slider-11.jpg" alt="Agave Taking Off" srcset="//agaveridgeretreat.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Agaves-Slider-11.jpg 456w, //agaveridgeretreat.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Agaves-Slider-11-365x400.jpg 365w, //agaveridgeretreat.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Agaves-Slider-11-274x300.jpg 274w" sizes="(max-width: 456px) 100vw, 456px" />
<div class="atwk-caption">Taking Off</div></div></div>
<div class="atwk-slide"><div class="slide-content slide-image"><img class="atw-gallery-img" src="//agaveridgeretreat.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Agaves-Slider-01.jpg" alt="Agave Budding" srcset="//agaveridgeretreat.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Agaves-Slider-01.jpg 375w, //agaveridgeretreat.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Agaves-Slider-01-300x400.jpg 300w, //agaveridgeretreat.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Agaves-Slider-01-225x300.jpg 225w" sizes="(max-width: 375px) 100vw, 375px" />
<div class="atwk-caption">Budding</div></div></div>
<div class="atwk-slide"><div class="slide-content slide-image"><img class="atw-gallery-img" src="//agaveridgeretreat.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Agaves-Slider-22.jpg" alt="An Agave Stalk Turning" srcset="//agaveridgeretreat.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Agaves-Slider-22.jpg 281w, //agaveridgeretreat.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Agaves-Slider-22-225x400.jpg 225w, //agaveridgeretreat.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Agaves-Slider-22-169x300.jpg 169w" sizes="(max-width: 281px) 100vw, 281px" />
<div class="atwk-caption">A Stalk Turning Color</div></div></div>
<div class="atwk-slide"><div class="slide-content slide-image"><img class="atw-gallery-img" src="//agaveridgeretreat.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Agaves-Slider-05.jpg" alt="Agave in Full Bloom" srcset="//agaveridgeretreat.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Agaves-Slider-05.jpg 375w, //agaveridgeretreat.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Agaves-Slider-05-300x400.jpg 300w, //agaveridgeretreat.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Agaves-Slider-05-225x300.jpg 225w" sizes="(max-width: 375px) 100vw, 375px" />
<div class="atwk-caption">Full Bloom</div></div></div>
<div class="atwk-slide"><div class="slide-content slide-image"><img class="atw-gallery-img" src="//agaveridgeretreat.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Agaves-Slider-04.jpg" alt="Flowering" srcset="//agaveridgeretreat.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Agaves-Slider-04.jpg 375w, //agaveridgeretreat.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Agaves-Slider-04-300x400.jpg 300w, //agaveridgeretreat.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Agaves-Slider-04-225x300.jpg 225w" sizes="(max-width: 375px) 100vw, 375px" />
<div class="atwk-caption">Flowering</div></div></div>
<div class="atwk-slide"><div class="slide-content slide-image"><img class="atw-gallery-img" src="//agaveridgeretreat.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Agaves-Slider-12.jpg" alt="Agave Ready to Sprout" srcset="//agaveridgeretreat.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Agaves-Slider-12.jpg 500w, //agaveridgeretreat.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Agaves-Slider-12-400x394.jpg 400w, //agaveridgeretreat.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Agaves-Slider-12-300x295.jpg 300w" sizes="(max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px" />
<div class="atwk-caption">Ready to Sprout</div></div></div>
<div class="atwk-slide"><div class="slide-content slide-image"><img class="atw-gallery-img" src="//agaveridgeretreat.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Agaves-Slider-17.jpg" alt="Agave Sprouting" srcset="//agaveridgeretreat.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Agaves-Slider-17.jpg 323w, //agaveridgeretreat.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Agaves-Slider-17-258x400.jpg 258w, //agaveridgeretreat.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Agaves-Slider-17-194x300.jpg 194w" sizes="(max-width: 323px) 100vw, 323px" />
<div class="atwk-caption">Just Sprouting</div></div></div>
<div class="atwk-slide"><div class="slide-content slide-image"><img class="atw-gallery-img" src="//agaveridgeretreat.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Agaves-Slider-14.jpg" alt="An Agave Flower" srcset="//agaveridgeretreat.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Agaves-Slider-14.jpg 281w, //agaveridgeretreat.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Agaves-Slider-14-225x400.jpg 225w, //agaveridgeretreat.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Agaves-Slider-14-169x300.jpg 169w" sizes="(max-width: 281px) 100vw, 281px" />
<div class="atwk-caption">A Flower</div></div></div>
<div class="atwk-slide"><div class="slide-content slide-image"><img class="atw-gallery-img" src="//agaveridgeretreat.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Agaves-Slider-18.jpg" alt="Stalks All Over" srcset="//agaveridgeretreat.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Agaves-Slider-18.jpg 377w, //agaveridgeretreat.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Agaves-Slider-18-302x400.jpg 302w, //agaveridgeretreat.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Agaves-Slider-18-226x300.jpg 226w" sizes="(max-width: 377px) 100vw, 377px" />
<div class="atwk-caption">Stalks All Over</div></div></div>
<div class="atwk-slide"><div class="slide-content slide-image"><img class="atw-gallery-img" src="//agaveridgeretreat.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Agaves-Slider-15.jpg" alt="More Agave Flowers" srcset="//agaveridgeretreat.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Agaves-Slider-15.jpg 281w, //agaveridgeretreat.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Agaves-Slider-15-225x400.jpg 225w, //agaveridgeretreat.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Agaves-Slider-15-169x300.jpg 169w" sizes="(max-width: 281px) 100vw, 281px" />
<div class="atwk-caption">More Flowers</div></div></div>
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“There is so much magic to be found at every turn. It is a perfect place to rest, renew…and return again – which I have twice now!” Angel W.