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American century plant
Scientific Name: Agave americana ssp. americana var. expansa
Family: Agavaceae
Category: Monocot
Growth: Subshrub, Shrub, Forb/herb
Duration: Perennial
Other Names:
Agave americana: The Century Plant
Agave americana, commonly known as century plant, maguey, or American aloe, is a striking plant often mistaken for a colossal aloe. Despite its name, it typically lives only 10 to 30 years, though it's known to take at least 10 years or so in warm regions to flower, and is described as a late bloomer, taking at least 40 years to even begin.
Considerations for Pets
- Agave americana possesses sharp leaf tip spines, which could pose a risk of injury.
Considerations for Children
- Agave americana possesses sharp leaf tip spines, which could pose a risk of injury.
Considerations for All
- Contact with the fresh sap of Agave americana can cause dermatitis in sensitive individuals.
Nomenclature and Taxonomy
- Scientific Name: Agave americana
- Common Names: Century plant, maguey, American aloe, Mexican soap plant, flowering aloe, spiked aloe, American agave, blue agave.
- Family: Agavaceae (sometimes listed as Asparagaceae)
- Kingdom: Plantae
- Taxonomic Rank: Species
- Synonyms: Maguey americano (Spanish).
- Subspecies Agave americana subsp. americana
Distribution and Habitat
- Originates from the wild desert areas of Central America and particularly Mexico.
- Naturalized in many parts of the world, including the southern US, Europe, South Africa, New Zealand, Australia, and parts of California and Australia.
Ecological Role
- In some regions like Australia, Agave americana is considered naturalized, implying it grows without direct human cultivation, but may also be considered invasive, indicating the potential for it to spread aggressively and negatively impact local ecosystems.
Morphological Characteristics
- Large agave with grey, sharp-tipped, strap-like leaves forming rosettes about 1.8 meters (approximately 6 feet) wide.
- A prominent landscape plant, capable of reaching significant sizes.
- Known for its impressive flowering stalk that can shoot up nearly 35 feet after many years of dormancy.
Uses
- Sometimes grown as an ornamental plant, particularly in southern California.
- Used commercially in Mexico to produce liquors.
Further Resources
- RHS (Royal Horticultural Society) provides information on Agave americana.
- PLANTS Database provides information, including its status as an introduced, invasive, or noxious plant.
- Calflora provides information on California plants for education, research and conservation.
- Dave's Garden shares tips and ideas for gardens, along with seeds and plants.