A Century Plant (Agave americana) in the Desert House at the Garfield Park Conservatory at 300 N Central Park Avenue in Chicago, Illinois on December 9, 2013. The Century Plant is said to bloom once a century. In fact, it blooms after a decade or two of growth. When it is ready, it sends up a single 30 foot stalk which produces an impressive bloom. So much energy is spent growing this flower that the plant dies shortly afterward. This photograph consists of five exposures blended together to create a high dynamic range (HDR) image.