The Main Plant entry for Agaves (Agave)

This database entry exists to show plant data and photos that apply generically to all Agaves.

General Plant Information (Edit)
Plant Habit: Cactus/Succulent
Life cycle: Perennial
Sun Requirements: Full Sun
Leaves: Evergreen
Fruit: Dehiscent
Flowers: Showy
Suitable Locations: Xeriscapic
Resistances: Deer Resistant
Propagation: Other methods: Cuttings: Stem
Offsets
Containers: Needs excellent drainage in pots
Miscellaneous: With thorns/spines/prickles/teeth

Image
Common names
  • Century Plant
  • Maguey

Photo Gallery
Location: Puebla
Date: 2022-12-03
Location: Baja California
Date: 2023-02-01
Mangave leaf detail
Location: Florida
Location: CA
Date: 6/23/2020
Location: San Antonio Botanical Garden, San Antonio, Texas
Date: 2022-04-04
Location: Puebla
Date: 2022-12-03
Drought stress
Photo by beatrizdelr
Location: Red Butte Garden, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, United States
Date: 2023-03-10

Date: 2016-10-03
Agave parryi var. truncata  Artichoke Agave
Location: Querétaro
Date: 2016-12-14
Looks like stricta/striata

Date: 2009-11-30
© Alexey Sergeev

Date: 2022-09-06
Location: Riverton, Utah, United States
Date: 2018-09-15
No ID xMangave.
Photo by ketsui73
Photo by ketsui73
Location: Querétaro
Date: 2016-12-12
univittata-ish
Location: Guanajuato
Date: 2016-12-12
Location: Guanajuato
Date: 2016-12-12
Location: Oceanside, California 
Date: 2019-12-23
Location: Oceanside, California 
Date: 2019-12-23

Date: 2016-10-03
Agave parryi var. truncata  Aartichoke Agave
Location: Bay Area California
Date: February 2022

Date: 2015-10-22
Photo by ketsui73
Photo by ketsui73
Photo by ketsui73
Photo by ketsui73
Photo by ketsui73
Location: Querétaro
Date: 2016-12-14
Location: Querétaro
Date: 2016-12-14
Looks like stricta/striata
Location: Zilker Botanical Garden, Austin, Texas
Date: 2022-04-05
Definitely not striata
Location: New York Botanical Garden
Date: June 2017
Location: Cypress Gardens, Florida
Location: Comal County, Texas
Date: 2016-10-01
Location: Querétaro
Date: 2016-12-12
Location: Querétaro
Date: 2016-12-14
Looks like stricta/striata
Location: Jacksonville, TX
Location: Querétaro
Date: 2016-12-14
Location: San Antonio, Texas
Date: 2022-04-04
Location: Bay Area California
Date: February 2022
Location: Sebastian, Florida
Date: 2017-01-20
Location: Madinah, Saudi Arabia
Date: 2015-04-12
Agave from display garden in Madinah, Saudi Arabia
Location: MOBOT -   St Louis
Date: 2013-02-25
Location: Winter Springs, Florida, United States
Date: 2020-01-05
Location: South Jordan, Utah, United States
Date: 2021-06-16
Location: Guanajuato
Date: 2016-12-12
Photo by sedumzz
Location: DISCLAIMER: This is an old photo from an old phone. I don't know why, but the photos look "deep fried". sorry about that.
Location: DISCLAIMER: This is an old photo from an old phone. I don't know why, but the photos look "deep fried". sorry about that.
Location: DISCLAIMER: This is an old photo from an old phone. I don't know why, but the photos look "deep fried". sorry about that.
Location: Baja California
Date: 2017-12-30
Bulbils
Location: Fort Worth Stockyards
Date: 2014-05-21
Location: Atlanta BG
Date: Aug 16
Location: Monte juic
Date: 2019-04-25
Likely a old agave angustifolia variegata
Location: Pinya del Rosa Botanical garden
Date: 2019-04-22
Slightly blurry photo of unknown agave
Location: Oak Hill, Florida
Date: 2014-10-26

Date: 2012-07-04
Small plant, recently acquired.  Suckering freely in container.
  • Uploaded by pod
Location: Potohar, Pakistan
Date: 2013-04-06
Location: University of California Botanical Garden.
photo by Stan Shebs
Location: Plano, TX
Date: 2015-09-23
Offsets

Date: Jan. 2014
Location: UC Berkeley Botanical Gardens but label is incorrect
Date: 2008-11-06

Date: 2012-11-19

Date: 2012-11-19
Photo by sedumzz
Location: Daytona Beach, Florida
Date: 2012-08-25 
Daytona Beach, Florida
Location: Daytona Beach, Florida
Date: 2014-01-10
Location: Cypress Gardens, Florida

Date: 2013-02-23
Location: Cypress Gardens, Florida
Photo by sedumzz
Location: UC Berkeley Botanical Gardens
Date: Aug.
Location: Lanzarote, Canary Islands.
Location: Daytona Beach, Florida
Date: 2012-08-25 
Daytona Beach, Florida
Location: NYBG 
Date: June 14 22
This plant is tagged in:
Image Image Image Image Image Image

Comments:
  • Posted by Marilyn (Kentucky - Zone 6a) on May 21, 2013 9:31 PM concerning plant:
    "Agave is a genus of monocots. The plants are perennial, but each rosette flowers once and then dies (see semelparity). Some species are known by the name century plant.

    Chiefly Mexican, agaves are also native to the southern and western United States and central and tropical South America. They are succulents with a large rosette of thick, fleshy leaves, each ending generally in a sharp point and with a spiny margin; the stout stem is usually short, the leaves apparently springing from the root. Along with plants from the related genus Yucca, various Agave species are popular ornamental plants.

    It is a common misconception that agaves are cacti. They are not related to cacti, nor are they closely related to Aloe whose leaves are similar in appearance.

    Agave species are used as food plants by the larvae of some Lepidoptera (butterfly and moth) species, including Batrachedra striolata, which has been recorded on A. shawii.

    The juice from many species of agave can cause acute contact dermatitis. It will produce reddening and blistering lasting one to two weeks. Episodes of itching may recur up to a year thereafter, though the rash is no longer visible. Irritation is, in part, caused by calcium oxalate raphides. Dried parts of the plants can be handled with bare hands with little or no effect. If the skin is pierced deeply enough by the needle-like ends of the leaf from a vigorously growing plant, this can also cause blood vessels in the surrounding area to erupt and an area some 2.36 - 2.75 inches across appear to be bruised. This may last up to three weeks."

    Taken from wikipedia's page at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A...

  • Posted by KFredenburg (Black Hills, SD - Zone 5a) on Jun 17, 2020 1:44 PM concerning plant:
    Century plants require many years to flower, but not a century. They provided southwestern Indians with food, beverages, fiber, soap, medicine, and lances. Today the liquors mescal and tequila are made from the stem of the Mexican species. The alcoholic beverage pulque is made from the juice of this plant.
Discussion Threads about this plant
Thread Title Last Reply Replies
Beautiful ... by sheryl Nov 6, 2013 11:47 AM 1
ID question by Baja_Costero Jan 23, 2016 10:09 AM 1
ID question by Baja_Costero Feb 14, 2016 9:17 AM 3
I see the label but... by mcvansoest Feb 21, 2016 10:49 PM 3
ID question by Baja_Costero Dec 30, 2019 1:18 PM 4
ID question by Baja_Costero Aug 10, 2020 10:43 AM 4
ID question by Baja_Costero Aug 17, 2020 11:13 PM 6
Looks like Agave attenuata by Baja_Costero Nov 15, 2022 8:35 PM 5
Not This by sedumzz Feb 26, 2024 10:18 PM 1

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