A huge plant at Truman State University is all set to put on the blockbuster show of its life. The giant plant is sitting at the Truman State greenhouse in Kirksville for roughly five decades.

As per experts, Truman’s agave plant, or Agave Americana, is now entering its flowering stage, reaching out through the greenhouse’s roof.

The Lisa Hooper, associate professor of biology at Truman State and chairperson of the greenhouse committee, said that they had to remove panels from the ceiling before the plant smashes through it.

Hooper further said that the agave plant that has been at the university for probably 50 years can grow up to 25 feet before branching out and flowering in the next few weeks.

This whole process is spectacular in its own way, but it would also mark and end for agave plant’s life.

Hopper said that this particular plant species flower only once in their lifetime and after flower the plant dies.

Some part of the plant will live on, with new plants sprouting from its base. And if the right pollinators like bats and moths came along, there are high chances that other plants could pop up, too.

“We don’t know who brought it here originally. All we know anecdotally is we have faculty members who have been here for 35 or 40 years and they remember it as a fairly big plant”, Hoper said.

The Agave Americana which typically grows in the deserts of Mexico is the best known for the major role it plays in production of tequila.

Hopper said the plant is used for many other purposes like its leaves’ fibers turned into threads, their pointy ends used as sewing needles, the plants themselves as natural fences. Almost every part of it is has been eaten by different people, Hooper added.