FC LIFE March 2018

STAN and MARILYN MOSER planted this plant when they moved here in 1988. It is the first time it has started to bloom. The flowers at the top are not out yet and we hope we are around to take a picture of the plant in full bloom. It is not known if that will be before the end of the season at Frenchman’s. The century plant, Agave americana, is monocarpic, meaning it will bloom once in its lifetime. That bloom may not appear for 10, 20 or more years, depending on the climate. Many species in the genus Agave flower just once, although there are a few that are repeat bloomers. The name “century plant” comes from the fact that the slow-growing plant takes years — although not 100 — to flower. The upward-facing yellow flowers grow in clusters at the end of horizontal branches near the top of a tall stalk that emerges from

a thick basal rosette of gray-green leaves. The flower structure resembles a candelabrum and sits atop a flower stalk that may be 10 or even 25 feet tall. After blooming, the century plant dies back, but offsets around its base usually leave gardeners with a supply of plants. Century plants do best in an area that receives at least a half-day of sun and in well-draining soil, in the garden or in a large pot. They can become enormous — 6 to 8 or more feet tall with a rosette of 20 to 40 leaves that can be a dozen feet across. The succulent foliage stores water, and the waxy coating helps prevent water loss. The huge leaves, nearly a foot wide, are smooth and rigid, and have sharp teeth along the margins, providing some cultures with weapons. They’re gray-green or gray-blue, but there are variegated forms as well. The Washington Business Hall of Fame was founded in 1988 by Junior Achievement, the Greater Washington Board of Trade, and Washington Board of Trade, and Washingtonian as a way to honor the remarkable contributions of the region’s most notable business leaders. The accomplishments and legacies of the esteemed Washington Business Hall of Fame Laureates are celebrated at the annual Hall of Fame Dinner, a gala with over 1,100 guests, which culminates in the Induction Ceremony. The evening benefits Junior Achievement of Greater Washington’s innovative financial literacy, work readiness, and entrepreneurship programs, which are designed to inspire and empower the next generation to see a brighter future and answer the demands of the 21 st century economy with “I can.” Donald Brown will be inducted into the Washington Business Hall of Fame on the evening of Wednesday, November 28, 2018 at the National Building Museum in Washington, DC. DONALD BROWN has been selected as a 2018 Washington Business Hall of Fame Laureate.

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