By CHARLES MINSHEW

charles.minshew@gaflnews.com

ABBEVILLE - Earlier this year, a young family became the talk of this small town when a 45-year-old plant in their yard decided that it was time to grow and bloom.

Wilcox County native Rusty Smith, his wife Jennifer, and their 2-year-old son Tripp moved into the home in September and inherited a pleasant surpise.

Jennifer is a stay at home mom with the couple’s son and Rusty is an engineer at Robins Air Force Base in Warner Robins.

The century plant that makes its home in one corner of the Smiths’ yard has made its way toward the sky. The fact that the plant has grown so tall isn’t the only thing that makes it unique.

The century plant, also called by its scientific name, Agave Americana, has an interesting trait of growing very quickly. Once the growing process begins, the stalk of the tree-like plant can grow at a rate of six inches per day.

“We first became interested in mid-March,” Jennifer said. At that time the stalk began to come up from the center of the plant, she said. In six weeks, the plant has grown to at least 25 feet in height.

“We didn’t know what it was,” Jennifer said. “We almost dug it up.” She added that she loves typical Southern plants such as azaleas and hydrangeas instead of the cactus-like plants of the Southwest which describes the century plant.

However, unpacking and settling into their home topped their priorities, stopping them from digging up the special plant.

About two weeks ago, Jennifer said, a minivan pulled into her driveway. A group of ladies from the Lake Blackshear area came to the door and asked her if they could see the plant.

She told them they were welcome to touch the plant and have their pictures taken with it.

One of the women told her that the plant “looked like something out of a Dr. Seuss book” and they were afraid that they might not ever see anything like it again in their lifetime.

The plant has allowed the couple, especially Jennifer, who is orginally from Jacksonville, Fla. to meet people in the community.