We love Southwestern plants, and were thrilled this year to have so many dasylirions bloom.  Unlike their agave relatives, dasylirions don’t die after flowers.  Also, unlike agaves, each plant is either male or female.  We haven’t had good luck getting both to flower the same year until now.

Here is a female dasylirion flower spike…no pollen.

Here is the corresponding female dasylirion flower spike, loaded with pollen. Dasylirion flower spikes produce quite a noise while in flower due to the incredible number of honeybees feeding.