An Ocala resident’s Century Agave plant is finally blooming after having been a fixture in the neighborhood for over two decades.
Butch R. Baker, a local musician who lives in southeast Ocala, is inviting all residents to stop by and view “Hank,” the Century Agave plant that lives along SE 55th Court in Ocala. Baker and his wife, Lynn Woodland, say the plant’s flowers have been emerging as of Friday morning.
“Despite the name, it does not wait for 100 years to bloom, but rather 10 to 30 years. When they bloom, it is the last breath of the plant’s life,” said Baker in a statement to Ocala-News.com.
“Hank” has been part of the Indian Pines neighborhood for an entire generation, having grown steadily along with the children and families in the community.
According to Baker, the plant was there when he and his wife moved into the neighborhood in 2021. Baker says the neighbors’ adult children told the couple that they had fond memories of seeing the plant as a fixture on their bicycle routes in grade school.
Baker and his wife have also used Hank as a backdrop for hundreds of photos and videos taken with trick-or-treaters during Halloween.
All residents are welcome to stop by and view the plant, which is located along SE 55th Court in Ocala.