The Fascinating World of Monocarpic Plants
HelloandwelcomebacktoKokomonsterNews. I'mKoko, bringingyoucoolnewsfromallaroundouramazingworld.
您好，歡迎回到 Kokomonster 新聞。我是Koko，為您帶來來自我們這個奇妙世界各地的好消息。
Butthere’sanothergroupofplantscalledmonocarpicsthatspendtheirwholelivesgrowinginsizeonlytoprovideasingle, swan-songbloombeforeleavingusforthegreatcompostpileinthesky.
但還有另一類被稱為「單果植物」的植物，它們一生都在不斷長大，只為了在離開我們到天空中堆肥之前提供一次絕妙的花朵。
Somemonocarpicplants, whosenameisderivedfromtheGreekforsingle (“mono”) andfruit (“carpos”), haveacultfollowingamongasubsetofgardenerswhorevelinwhatcanbeyearsofanticipation, oftenthrowingpartiestodisplaytheirplant’sonce-in-a-lifetimedeathbloom.
一些單果植物的名字源自希臘語，意為“單一”（“mono”）和“果實”（“carpos”），在一群園丁中擁有一批狂熱的追隨者，他們陶醉於多年的期待，經常舉辦派對來展示。 他們的植物千載難逢的死亡盛開。
Othersgrowers, however, canbecaughtoffguardtodiscovertheir30-year-oldlandscapeplantunexpectedlyblooming, onlytowatchitdieimmediatelyafterward.
然而，其他種植者可能會措手不及地發現他們的 30 年樹齡景觀植物意外地開花，但眼睜睜地看著它立即死去。
Flowershaveapurpose:toensuretheposterityoftheirspecies.
花有一個目的：確保其物種的後代。
Aftertheirbloomconcludes, plantsproduceseedstoensurefuturegenerations, whichcompletestheirmission.
花期結束後，植物會產生種子以確保後代，這就完成了它們的使命。
Monocarpicplantshavejustoneshotatthis, so, asyoumightimagine, theeffortisoftenspectacular.
單果植物在這方面只有一次機會，所以，正如你可能想像的那樣，這種努力往往是驚人的。
Takethecenturyplant (Agave americana), whosenameistheposterchildforhyperbole.
以世紀植物（美洲龍舌蘭）為例，它的名字就是誇張的典型代表。
Ratherthanlivingfor100 years, asitsnamesuggests, thedesertplantnativetoMexicoandTexasandhardyinzones8-11hasanaveragelifespanofjust10 to 30 years.
顧名思義，這種原產於墨西哥和德克薩斯州、在 8-11 區耐寒的沙漠植物的平均壽命只有 10 到 30 年，而不是像它的名字所暗示的那樣壽命 100 年。
Duringthistime, itgrowstoabout6 feettallbeforesendingupagiantflowerstalkthatcanreach30 feet, frequentlyshockingitsowners.
在此期間，它會長到約 6 英尺高，然後長出長達 30 英尺的巨大花莖，經常讓主人感到震驚。
Newscoverageoftenensues.
新聞報導經常隨之而來。
A19-year-oldAmericancolumbo (Frasera caroliniensis) growingattheNorthCarolinaBotanicalGardeninChapelHillbloomedtolocalfanfarethisspring.
今年春天，在教堂山的北卡羅來納州植物園種植的一株 19 歲的美洲鴿（Frasera caroliniensis）在當地盛開。
TheuniqueplantsnativetotheeasternandcentralUnitedStatesgrowinfoot-tallclumpsformanyyearsbeforepushingfortha6-to-8-footspikeofgreen, purple-speckledflowers.
這種原產於美國東部和中部的獨特植物會在一英尺高的叢中生長多年，然後長出 6 至 8 英尺高的綠色、紫色斑點的花朵。
Themonocarpicplantcategoryalsoincludesfishtailpalm (Caryota spp.), whichcanbegrownoutdoorsinzones9b-10.
單果植物類別還包括魚尾棕櫚 (Caryota spp.)，可在 9b-10 區戶外種植。
Thegoodnewsistheshowcanlastupto5 years, afterwhichonlythebloomingtrunkwilldie, leavingsecondarytrunks, ifpresent, totakeover.
好消息是，這種現象可以持續長達 5 年，之後只有開花的樹幹會死亡，留下次生樹幹（如果存在）來接替。
Fishtailpalmsgrownashouseplantsarenotlikelytobloom.
作為室內植物種植的魚尾棕櫚不太可能開花。
Bamboo, thebaneofmanygardeners’existence, isalsoamonocarpicplant.
竹子是許多園丁的禍根，也是單果植物。
Butdon’tcountonitsbloomtoenditsinvasiveness:Itcantakemorethan100 yearsforsomebamboospeciestoflower, andeventhen, sometimestheirrhizomatousrootspushupnewplants.
但不要指望它的開花會結束它的入侵：有些竹種可能需要 100 多年才能開花，即使這樣，有時它們的根莖也會長出新的植物。
Bananas, too, aremonocarpic, buttheyreproducebysendingupsuckers, orsmallplants, fromtheirroots.
香蕉也是單果的，但它們透過從根部長出吸盤或小植物來繁殖。
Sempervivum, agenusofsucculentscommonlycalled“hensandchicks”or“houseleeks,” arehardyinzones4-8.
長生草屬多肉植物，通常被稱為“母雞和小雞”或“韭菜”，在 4-8 區耐寒。
Theygrowin6-inch-tall, tightrosettesandmultiplybyproducingagrowingbroodofsmallerrosettes, whichinturnmaketheirown.
它們生長在 6 英寸高、緊密的蓮座叢中，並通過產生越來越小的蓮座叢而繁殖，這些小蓮座叢又會形成自己的蓮座叢。
Theoffshoots, or“chicks,” canbecarefullyremovedfromthemotherplant, or“hen,” andplantedelsewhere, orbelefttospreadintoamassplanting.
可以小心地將分支或“小雞”從母株或“母雞”中取出並種植在其他地方，或留下來進行大規模種植。
Ittakesroughlythreetofouryearsforamothertosproutaneye-catching, 8-inch-tallstalkbearingastar-shapedfloweratitstipbeforedying.
母親大約需要三到四年的時間才能在死亡之前長出引人注目的 8 英寸高的莖，頂端有一朵星形的花朵。
Chicks, however, willcontinueontheirownlifepaths.
然而，小雞們仍將繼續走自己的人生道路。
Aechmeafasciata, apopularbromeliadhouseplantoftencalled“urnplant,” willalsobloomjustonce—ataroundage3—studdingtheirstunning, spikedpinkbractswithtinypurpleblossomstocomplementtheirstrappy, silvery-greenleaves.
Aechmea fasciata 是一種流行的鳳梨科室內植物，通常被稱為“甕植物”，也只會在3 歲左右開花一次，其令人驚嘆的尖刺粉紅色苞片上佈滿了紫色的小花，與它們帶狀的銀綠色葉子相得益彰。
Aswiththeothers, themotherthensurrendersherlife, allowingthebabiessheproducestocarryonthefamilytradition.
和其他人一樣，母親也會放棄自己的生命，讓她生下的嬰兒繼承家庭傳統。
I'mKoko, sayinggoodbyeandstaycurious. Tuneinnexttimeformorefunnewsandcoolwords. Seeyouthen.
我是Koko，告別並保持好奇心。下次收聽更多有趣的新聞和酷炫的字眼。回頭見。
Hello and welcome back to Kokomonster News. I'm Koko, bringing you cool news from all around our amazing world.
But there’s another group of plants called monocarpics that spend their whole lives growing in size only to provide a single, swan-song bloom before leaving us for the great compost pile in the sky.
Some monocarpic plants, whose name is derived from the Greek for single (“mono”) and fruit (“carpos”), have a cult following among a subset of gardeners who revel in what can be years of anticipation, often throwing parties to display their plant’s once-in-a-lifetime death bloom.
Others growers, however, can be caught off guard to discover their 30-year-old landscape plant unexpectedly blooming, only to watch it die immediately afterward.
Flowers have a purpose: to ensure the posterity of their species.
After their bloom concludes, plants produce seeds to ensure future generations, which completes their mission.
Monocarpic plants have just one shot at this, so, as you might imagine, the effort is often spectacular.
Take the century plant (Agave americana), whose name is the poster child for hyperbole.
Rather than living for 100 years, as its name suggests, the desert plant native to Mexico and Texas and hardy in zones 8-11 has an average lifespan of just 10 to 30 years.
During this time, it grows to about 6 feet tall before sending up a giant flower stalk that can reach 30 feet, frequently shocking its owners.
News coverage often ensues.
A 19-year-old American columbo (Frasera caroliniensis) growing at the North Carolina Botanical Garden in Chapel Hill bloomed to local fanfare this spring.
The unique plants native to the eastern and central United States grow in foot-tall clumps for many years before pushing forth a 6-to-8-foot spike of green, purple-speckled flowers.
The monocarpic plant category also includes fishtail palm (Caryota spp.), which can be grown outdoors in zones 9b-10.
The good news is the show can last up to 5 years, after which only the blooming trunk will die, leaving secondary trunks, if present, to take over.
Fishtail palms grown as houseplants are not likely to bloom.
Bamboo, the bane of many gardeners’ existence, is also a monocarpic plant.
But don’t count on its bloom to end its invasiveness: It can take more than 100 years for some bamboo species to flower, and even then, sometimes their rhizomatous roots push up new plants.
Bananas, too, are monocarpic, but they reproduce by sending up suckers, or small plants, from their roots.
Sempervivum, a genus of succulents commonly called “hens and chicks” or “house leeks,” are hardy in zones 4-8.
They grow in 6-inch-tall, tight rosettes and multiply by producing a growing brood of smaller rosettes, which in turn make their own.
The offshoots, or “chicks,” can be carefully removed from the mother plant, or “hen,” and planted elsewhere, or be left to spread into a mass planting.
It takes roughly three to four years for a mother to sprout an eye-catching, 8-inch-tall stalk bearing a star-shaped flower at its tip before dying.
Chicks, however, will continue on their own life paths.
Aechmea fasciata, a popular bromeliad houseplant often called “urn plant,” will also bloom just once — at around age 3 — studding their stunning, spiked pink bracts with tiny purple blossoms to complement their strappy, silvery-green leaves.
As with the others, the mother then surrenders her life, allowing the babies she produces to carry on the family tradition.
I'm Koko, saying goodbye and stay curious. Tune in next time for more fun news and cool words. See you then.
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