AN exotic plant that has been growing at Pershore College for 40 years is close to flowering for the first time.

The Agave victoriae-reginae, a native of Mexico, formed a three-inch shoot a couple of weeks ago. That shoot is now a 5ft flower stalk that is growing by the day and could reach 13ft in height before it blooms. Bob Hares, a lecturer at the college, remembers the plant being around in the early 1980s, at which time it was already well established. It was moved into its current position in the cactus bed in the early 1990s. Unfortunately, the effort to produce the flowers exhausts the plant and it dies within a short time, but it will produce seeds before it dies. Jo Yates, manager at the plant centre, which is open seven days a week, is pictured admiring the agave.