Yes Alistair, I remember seeing these on holiday there too. I think it is Agave attenuata. A beautiful flower isn't it. Everywhere in the Canaries. Native to Central Mexico. If you are thinking of trying one, you might want to think about Aloe Vera. it also has a lovely tall yellow flower spike. It's not so dramatic, but perhaps easier in our climate as you can grow it as a houseplant. The agave is much bigger.

I've never seen aloe Vera in flower in all my years

Me neither Alistair! But I have an aloe arboreum that flowered last year about this time.

I have what I think is an Aloe vera flower just coming into bud. Had the plant many years but kept it in a pot really too small for it so it has never got huge. I don't think this is an Agave as the flower is quite different?

I think Sandra (member who hasn't posted for ages) has some of these growing outside in her South Pembs nursery. If not that they are very similar.

I think it is Stera...Fox Tail Agave is its common name. If you google Agave attenuata you’ll see it is exactly like this. And yes, totally different to most Agave flowers. :)

Yes your bang on agave attenuata if anyone wants to give it a go £3.50 buys you 10 seeds on eBay.

I humbly retire. You wrote Agave and I thought Aloe. What an idiot.

Not at all Stera. It took me ages to id that plant when i saw it in the Canaries. It's a really unusual one. And who 'doesn't' confuse Agave with Aloe?!