Agaves are rosette-forming perennials growing in the desert and mountainous regions of North, Central, and South America and in the Caribbean. They bloom once at maturity, which can be anywhere from 5 to 40 years. Most plants die after flowering and are not frost hardy. Native to Mexico, the twin-flowered agave grows to 3 feet, producing hundreds of narrow leaves from a dense compact rosette. It is slow-growing, reaching 2 to 3 feet tall and wide. It flowers once after 10 to 15 years, and then dies, but new plants may arise from suckers at the base. The botanic name geminiflora comes from the Latin word for twin-flowered, referring to the yellow flowers that are arranged in pairs along the stem. Grow in well-drained rocky soil; it can tolerate drought once established.