An agave is a type of plant with thick, pointed leaves that grows in hot, dry places like Mexico and the southwestern United States. Agaves look almost prehistoric, with leaves arranged in a rosette pattern (like a giant green flower made of spears) that can grow several feet tall. These tough plants store water in their leaves, which helps them survive in deserts where other plants would quickly wither.

Agaves are famous for what people make from them. They produce agave nectar, a sweet syrup people use like honey. Long ago, people in Mexico discovered they could also make rope and cloth from agave fibers, and even use the sharp leaf tips as needles.

The most dramatic thing about agaves is how they flower. Most agave plants live for years or even decades without flowering at all. Then, suddenly, they shoot up a towering stalk (sometimes 20 feet high!) covered in flowers. After this spectacular bloom, the plant dies, having put all its energy into that final display. Scientists call plants that flower once and then die monocarpic, and agaves are some of the most patient examples in nature.