An agave has bloomed in the UJEP Faculty of Science greenhouse. Visitors can see this rare botanical phenomenon during the Cactus and Succulent Exhibition
An agave has bloomed in the greenhouse of the Department of Biology at the Faculty of Science, J. E. Purkyně University in Ústí nad Labem. The flowering of an agave is an interesting botanical event, as in many species it occurs only after many years of growth, and each rosette typically blooms only once.
“The agave first produces a distinctive flower stalk, which can reach a considerable height. Flowers then develop on this stalk. After flowering, the mother rosette usually dies off gradually, but the plant can reproduce via seeds or offshoots. In the conditions of Central European greenhouses, the opportunity to observe an agave in bloom is not very common,” says Ing. Markéta Gloneková, Ph.D., head of the Department of Biology at the Faculty of Science, UJEP.
Agaves are native primarily to the arid regions of North and Central America, where they have adapted to harsh conditions through their ability to store water in their fleshy leaves.
The flowering plant is located in the greenhouse of the Department of Biology at the Faculty of Science, UJEP, which serves not only for teaching and scientific research but also for popularizing the natural sciences. The greenhouse houses extensive collections of succulents and other botanically interesting plants.
The Faculty of Natural Sciences at UJEP invites members of the public, schools, and the media to take this opportunity to come and see this exceptional natural phenomenon with their own eyes.“A flowering agave is a true rarity. The plant waits decades for this moment, and most people never have the opportunity to witness it in their lifetime. We are therefore delighted to be able to share this unique natural phenomenon with visitors to our greenhouse and introduce them to the beauty and wonder of the botanical world,” says RNDr. Regina Herma, Ph.D., Vice Dean for External and International Relations at the Faculty of Science, UJEP.
The premises of the Department of Biology at the Faculty of Science, UJEP, are currently open to the public. From June 12 to 18, 2026, the Educational Botanical Park will host the traditional Cactus and Succulent Exhibition, organized in cooperation with the Ústí nad Labem Cactus Club. Thanks to this event, the exhibition greenhouse featuring the flowering agave will be open daily from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The exhibition will also include a plant sale and an advisory service for both novice and experienced growers.
You could have seen a report on our blooming agave on yesterday’s TV Nova news broadcast. You can also watch the video from the recording; it starts at 4:07 p.m.