Have you been through the Buckhead Dr. corridor recently and noticed the unique and exceptionally tall plants blooming in front of Sonic? Or perhaps seen the post about them being shared all over Facebook? They're called Agave americana, also known as "Century plants," and they're quite a sight to see.
According to Bob Randolph of the Botanic Garden at Georgia Southern, the plants only bloom once in their lifetime. And while it doesn't actually take a century as their nickname might suggest, he said it does take anywhere from 10 to 30 years to see a bloom like we're seeing now. The plant tends to die back after its bloom, but the good news is that the plant will have put out lots of sprouts around its base before the bloom, propagating itself for many more years to come.
That particular Sonic opened in 2005, so we're right in line with that estimate for a bloom. Randolph said the plants were likely about the same age when they were planted there, and they're "on the clock" for a bloom once they go into the ground. But it's still somewhat of an amazing coincidence that they both decided to bloom at exactly the same time.
Century plants are more common in arid, desert-like environments, and Randolph said they typically prefer a sandy soil. You'll see a lot of them in Florida, for sure. The Boro does have sandier soil in some areas, but of course, we're not a desert. Randolph explained that the plants don't need much water, but they can tolerate it. That makes Statesboro a still-hospitable home for them.
Make sure to stop by and see these beauties before the blooms fall. If you miss it, you might have to wait another 20 years!
The plants are located in front of Sonic Drive-In at 880 Buckhead Dr. in Statesboro, across from the "big" El Sombrero.