Twin agaves~Nature Notes~020912

I was driving up Highway 74, along Deep Canyon last weekend when I looked up and saw these twin agaves.  Fortunately there wasn't anybody behind me and I was able to just stop and shoot!  There are many agaves left over from last year, along with yuccas.  The difference is that the agaves shoot straight up and then the blossoms appear, where the yuccas have blooms all the way up.  Yuccas also have the curly fibers on their leaves, while agaves do not. Finally, yucca leaves are long and slender, while agaves are more fat and fiborous, like aloes.  I'm afraid that the lack of rainfall this year will result in a less-than-spectacular showing of wildflowers, agaves, and yuccas, but who knows?  Nature Notes for February 9, 2012.  To stop by Nature Notes, please go to this link:   http://ramblingwoods.com/