Brisbane Botanic Gardens - Brisbane QLD

Harsh climatic conditions in arid areas of the Americas, Asia and Africa have resulted in plants with unusual forms and amazing adaptations which help overcome the 'power' of a desert environment. Succulent plants absorb and retain precious water in their fleshy stems and leaves. Some have a thick waxy cuticle that reduces water loss and gives a characteristic blue-grey colour. No one knows when agaves will raise their huge flower spikes some as high as large trees. It may take 20, 40 or 60 years to produce a bloom, but once this magnificent display is over, the plant becomes exhausted and dies.