Daily Postcard: The sunrise Friday silhouettes a Century Plant blooming at a residence in White Rock. The common name ‘century plant’ stems from its monocarpic nature of flowering only once at the end of its long life. After flowering, the plant dies but produces adventitious shoots from the base, allowing its growth to continue. Although it is called the century plant, it typically lives only 10 to 30 years. It spreads 6-10 feet, with gray-green leaves 3-5 feet in length, each with a prickly margin and a heavy spike at the tip that can pierce deeply. At the end of its life, the plant produces a tall, branched stalk with yellow blossoms, reaching 25-30 feet in height. Source: Wikipedia. Photo by Nancy Ann Hibbs