Brotherly News

My brother Scott was in the news today. He planted a “century plant” (agave americana) in Virginia Beach several years ago, and it has thrived there. So much so that this year it is blooming – which century plants do just once and then die.

These plants are native to our area (southern California), but certainly not to Virginia. Scott had to get creative to make the right sort of home for it there:

Not so for the Oceanfront agave. Landscaper Scott Dilatush planted the hearty specimen about seven years ago. He credits an anchoring of concrete and rocks and a special soil mix with "super-aged cow manure " for aiding the plant's growth.

"It's acting like it's in Florida instead of Virginia," he said.

There you have it. Ancient cow manure, that's the ticket!

The original article is here, and more information on agave americana can be found here and here.