Hapaxanthous

/ˌhæp.æk.sænˈθoʊ.səs/ adjective

Definition

In botany, flowering or blooming only once in a lifetime; producing flowers a single time before dying.

Etymology

From Greek 'hapax' (once) combined with 'anthos' (flower), literally 'flowering once,' contrasted with polycarpic (flowering multiple times).

Kelly Says

Agave plants famously bloom hapaxanthous, storing energy for decades before one spectacular flowering event—it's nature's version of a once-in-a-lifetime concert tour that ends in death.

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