Q: Please tell me the name of this plant. Also if it blooms, will it then die?
A: This is the Queen Victoria agave (Agave victoriae-reginae). According to Greg Starr in his excellent book called “Agaves”, this is a Chihuahuan Desert species. It grows well throughout our area although it doesn’t do as well in the hot sun of the low desert so planting it in a spot with afternoon shade is a good idea. It is a slow growing species and after 20-25 years it will bloom and then die.
Peter L. Warren is the urban horticulture agent for the Pima County Cooperative Extension and the University of Arizona. Questions may be emailed to
Tim Steller's column: Tucson's biggest homeless camp faces upcoming clear-out
