Rare flowers, once every few decades, are finally blooming!
- Corporate Top
- Press Room
- Press Release Kanto Regional Head Office
- Rare flowers, once every few decades, are finally blooming!
June 27, 2008
East Nippon Expressway Co., Ltd.
Ichihara Management Office
"Agave orchid" planted in the Tateyama Expressway Ichihara service area (Out-bound line) managed by NEXCO EAST Ichihara Management Office (Ichihara City, Chiba, Director: Minoru Yuyama) begins preparations for flowering this summer I will let you know.
Agave is extremely slow growing and is called a century plant because it blooms only once every 100 years overseas, and it is said that even in the climate of Japan, it blooms only once every 30 to 50 years.
In addition to the unusual flowering, other plants also have a form in which flower stems called "masts" are stretched for several meters, and cylindrical yellow flowers are densely arranged on the floral pattern that extends horizontally from there. It is noted as a unique thing that can not be done.
NEXCO EAST, this flowering is expected, and the expected flowering time will coincide with the summer vacation period of elementary and junior high school students, so children and students will be able to observe rare flowers and enjoy it for tourists We decided to set up an observatory on site in order to receive them.
In addition, we will hold a “Flower Day Prediction Quiz” that allows customers who visit the Ichihara service area (Out-bound) to predict the flowering date, and we will work with them to watch the blooming of agave.
Please see below for details on various events related to flowering of agave.
In addition, in NEXCO EAST, the state of flowering of agave is posted on the website as "Hana-chan's observation diary" and we will continue to inform you.
Events etc.
| Observatory installation | From July 19th to mid-August (during flowering period). You are free to browse from 7am to 6pm. (We may change or cancel the time in case of rain) |
|---|---|
| Hana's observation diary | We will post the situation until the flowering on our website. Address ( http://www.driveplaza.com/sapa/1130/1130011/2/ ) |
| Flowering prediction quiz | A pair accommodation voucher for "Hotel Ma Maison Saiko (Fujikawaguchiko-cho, Minamitsuru-gun, Yamanashi)" for customers who visited the Ichihara service area (Out-bound) between July 5 and July 21 We will have a flowering prediction quiz for 3 groups. |
| Sale of commemorative products | "Agave syrup" extracted from agave and original "pound cake" using this syrup will be sold for a limited time from Saturday, July 5th at the shopping corner Out-bound the Ichihara SA. "Agave syrup" is a natural vegetable sweetener that is not very familiar in Japan, but has a sweetness that is about 1.4 times that of sugar and has a low blood sugar level, which is good for your health. |
| Tateyama Expressway All 1st anniversary event | To commemorate the 1st anniversary of all Tateyama Expressway, we plan to play flea markets and Mexican music in the Ichihara service area (Out-bound) on Saturday, July 19th. Details of the event will be announced separately. |
What is "Agave"? !!
- The agave family is distributed mainly in Mexico in the southwestern United States and the subtropical regions of Central and South America, and it is said that there are more than 100 species and 300 species.
The seed that is planted in the Ichihara service area is called "Aono Agave".
- Agave is named "Century Plant" due to the false perception that it grows extremely slowly and only blooms once every 100 years abroad.
- The actual flowering cycle is about once every several decades, and it is said in Japan that it occurs once every 30 to 50 years.
- At the time of flowering, the "mast" is extended to several meters, and a yellow flower in a tubular shape is attached to the flower pattern that extends laterally from there. Currently, the situation of agave in the Ichihara service area (Out-bound) is as shown in the photo. (As of June 27, height 4.3m)
- Many agave species die when the flowering is over. The agave in the Ichihara service area (Out-bound) is also expected to die when the flowering ends.
- In addition, some agave seeds are used as raw materials for seasonings and sake (tequila), and one of them is agave syrup that is sold at the highway shop in time with this flowering.