850 Good News: Local Century Tree in bloom

PANAMA CITY, Fla. (WJHG/WECP) - On a quiet street in Panama City, a celebration of life is unfolding in the bloom of a Century Plant just in time for the firework booms to take over the sky for America’s 250th birthday.

Local resident, Sherry Sellers, said, “Isn’t it awesome that this happened at the same time.”

The Agave Americana or Century Plant waits patiently and builds strength to bloom only once in its lifetime. Sometimes taking 10 years or 30 years or even up to 100 years.

Sellers said, “I know they were transplanted from Mexico and you can make tequila out of them. I don’t drink tequila, but somebody might like that.”

Sellers can’t tell you how long the century plant has been in her front yard, but it has been there for as long as she can remember. “My parents brought the property. I was ten years old so that was quite a long time ago.”

Celebrating her birthday as well, Sellers shares some of the memories made in her front yard all while the Century Plant continued to grow.

She said, “It looks like it shot up overnight. Like where did that come from? Then, it didn’t take long for it to bloom. As you can tell there is another one right beside it that will grow soon.”

Sellers may not brag about her green thumb, but her front yard speaks for itself. She said, “Everybody says that, but I don’t think so. I just plant things I know will grow.”

As the Century Plant’s bloom comes to an end, Sellers said she has loved seeing the area grow along with it.

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