Agave

There are several hundreds species of Agave. They have been popular in many Mediterranean gardens in Europe since they were brought back from the Americas by the Spaniards and Portugueses in the 17th century, and before that they were cultivated for centuries by the native American population for fibers, food and drinks.

Nowadays they are very useful plants in desert gardens. If your climate is warm enough, you will most certainly find several species for your garden that will be very tough, will thrive with much additional water, and will be a source of enjoyment for many years.

Agaves are succulent rosettes, often clumping, occasionally on short trunks. They generally have a sharp spine at the end of their leaves, and for this reason should be away from paths. Each rosette blooms after many years (generally at least 8). The blooming rosette uses all its energy to produce the giant towering bloom, and seeds. When it has finished blooming, in almost all the species, the rosette dries out. Some species produce a large quantity of new plants on the flower stem (bulbils). These can be detached and planted.

Species and varieties
Agave altissima (Century Plant, Maguey) synonym of Agave americana
Agave americana (Century Plant, Maguey)
Agave americana var. latifolia (Parry's Agave) synonym of Agave parryi var. parryi
Agave americana var. theometel (Century Plant, Maguey) synonym of Agave americana
Agave ananassoides (Smooth Agave) synonym of Agave desmetiana
Agave angustifolia (Maguey Lechugilla)
Agave applanata var. huachucensis (Ft. Huachuca Agave) synonym of Agave parryi var. huachucensis
Agave asperrima (Rough Leaved Agave)
Agave atrovirens (Pulque Agave) synonym of Agave salmiana ssp. salmiana
Agave atrovirens var. sigmatophylla (Pulque Agave) synonym of Agave salmiana ssp. salmiana
Agave attenuata (Fox Tail Agave)
Agave besseriana synonym of Agave macroacantha
Agave bovicornuta (Cow Horn Agave, Lechuguilla Verde)
Agave breedlovei (Maguey Lechugilla) synonym of Agave angustifolia
Agave caeciliana (Rough Leaved Agave) synonym of Agave asperrima
Agave californica synonym of Agave striata ssp. falcata
Agave cernua (Fox Tail Agave) synonym of Agave attenuata
Agave cerulata ssp. cerulata
Agave chihuahuana (Parry's Agave) synonym of Agave parryi var. parryi
Agave chihuahuana (Parry's Agave) synonym of Agave parryi var. parryi
Agave chrysantha (Golden-Flowered Agave)
Agave coarctata (Pulque Agave) synonym of Agave salmiana ssp. salmiana
Agave cochlearis (Pulque Agave) synonym of Agave salmiana ssp. salmiana
Agave colorata (Mescal Ceniza)
Agave communis (Century Plant, Maguey) synonym of Agave americana
Agave complicata (Century Plant, Maguey) synonym of Agave americana
Agave compluviata (Pulque Agave) synonym of Agave salmiana ssp. salmiana
Agave consideranti (Queen Victoria Agave) synonym of Agave victoriae-reginae
Agave consociata (Desert Agave) synonym of Agave deserti ssp. deserti
Agave costaricana (Maguey Lechugilla) synonym of Agave angustifolia
Agave debaryana (Fox Tail Agave) synonym of Agave attenuata
Agave deserti ssp. deserti (Desert Agave)
Agave desmetiana (Smooth Agave)
Agave desmettiana (Smooth Agave) synonym of Agave desmetiana
Agave discreptata (Maguey) synonym of Agave filifera ssp. schidigera
Agave eduardii (Octopus Agave) synonym of Agave vilmoriana
Agave elongata (Maguey Lechugilla) synonym of Agave angustifolia
Agave elongata (Baker) Berger (Henequen) synonym of Agave fourcroydes
Agave endlichiana (Maguey Lechugilla) synonym of Agave angustifolia
Agave ensiformis (Espadin) synonym of Agave striata ssp. striata
Agave excelsa (Maguey Lechugilla) synonym of Agave angustifolia
Agave falcata synonym of Agave striata ssp. falcata
Agave felgeri (Mescalito)
Agave felina (Century Plant, Maguey) synonym of Agave americana
Agave ferdinand-regis (Queen Victoria Agave) synonym of Agave victoriae-reginae
Agave filamentosa (Thread-leaf Agave) synonym of Agave filifera ssp. filifera
Agave filifera ssp. filifera (Thread-leaf Agave)
Agave filifera ssp. schidigera (Maguey)
Agave flavescens synonym of Agave macroacantha
Agave fourcroydes (Henequen)
Agave franchesiana (Weber Agave) synonym of Agave weberi
Agave fuerstenbergii (Century Plant, Maguey) synonym of Agave americana
Agave geminiflora var. sonorae (Schott's Century Plant, Shindagger) synonym of Agave schottii var. schottii
Agave ghiesbreghtii
Agave glaucescens Hooker (Fox Tail Agave) synonym of Agave attenuata
Agave gracilispina (Century Plant, Maguey) synonym of Agave americana
Agave heteracantha Zucc. synonym of Agave lophantha
Agave houghii (Octopus Agave) synonym of Agave vilmoriana
Agave houlletii (Sisal) synonym of Agave sisalana
Agave huachucensis (Ft. Huachuca Agave) synonym of Agave parryi var. huachucensis
Agave huehueteca synonym of Agave ghiesbreghtii
Agave hystrix (Hedgehog Agave) synonym of Agave stricta
Agave ingens (Century Plant, Maguey) synonym of Agave americana
Agave ingens var. picta (Century Plant, Maguey) synonym of Agave americana
Agave inghami synonym of Agave ghiesbreghtii
Agave integrifolia synonym of Agave macroacantha
Agave ixtli (Maguey Lechugilla) synonym of Agave angustifolia
Agave ixtlioides (Henequen) synonym of Agave fourcroydes
Agave jacobiana (Pulque Agave) synonym of Agave salmiana ssp. salmiana
Agave jacquiniana (Maguey Lechugilla) synonym of Agave angustifolia
Agave kellocki (Fox Tail Agave) synonym of Agave attenuata
Agave latissima Auct. (Pulque Agave) synonym of Agave salmiana ssp. salmiana
Agave leguayana synonym of Agave ghiesbreghtii
Agave lehmannii (Pulque Agave) synonym of Agave salmiana ssp. salmiana
Agave letonae var. marginata (Maguey Lechugilla) synonym of Agave angustifolia
Agave linearis synonym of Agave macroacantha
Agave longifolia (Henequen) synonym of Agave fourcroydes
Agave lophantha
Agave macrantha Jacobi synonym of Agave macroacantha
Agave macroacantha
Agave macroacantha var. integrifolia synonym of Agave macroacantha
Agave macroacantha var. latifolia synonym of Agave macroacantha
Agave maculosa (Texas Tuberose)
Agave marginata (Maguey Lechugilla) synonym of Agave angustifolia
Agave mayoensis (Octopus Agave) synonym of Agave vilmoriana
Agave melliflua (Century Plant, Maguey) synonym of Agave americana
Agave milleri (Century Plant, Maguey) synonym of Agave americana
Agave miradorensis (Smooth Agave) synonym of Agave desmetiana
Agave mitriformis (Pulque Agave) synonym of Agave salmiana ssp. salmiana
Agave montezumae (Pulque Agave) synonym of Agave salmiana ssp. salmiana
Agave mulfordiana (Schott's Century Plant, Shindagger) synonym of Agave schottii var. schottii
Agave murpheyi (Murphy's Agave, Hohokam Agave)
Agave neomexicana (Mescal)
Agave newberryi (Utah Agave) synonym of Agave utahensis ssp. utahensis
Agave nickelsii (Queen Victoria Agave) synonym of Agave victoriae-reginae
Agave oligophylla synonym of Agave macroacantha
Agave pacifica (Maguey Lechugilla) synonym of Agave angustifolia
Agave palmeri (Palmer's Agave)
Agave palmeri var. chrysantha (Golden-Flowered Agave) synonym of Agave chrysantha
Agave panamana (Maguey Lechugilla) synonym of Agave angustifolia
Agave parryi var. huachucensis (Ft. Huachuca Agave)
Agave parryi var. neomexicana (Mescal) synonym of Agave neomexicana
Agave parryi var. parryi (Parry's Agave)
Agave parryi var. truncata (Mescal Agave)
Agave patonii (Parry's Agave) synonym of Agave parryi var. parryi
Agave paucifolia synonym of Agave striata ssp. falcata
Agave paucifolia Baker synonym of Agave macroacantha
Agave perplexans (Maguey) synonym of Agave filifera ssp. schidigera
Agave picta (Century Plant, Maguey) synonym of Agave americana
Agave potatorum Koch (Pulque Agave) synonym of Agave salmiana ssp. salmiana
Agave prainiana (Maguey Lechugilla) synonym of Agave angustifolia
Agave pruinosa (Fox Tail Agave) synonym of Agave attenuata
Agave pugioniformis synonym of Agave macroacantha
Agave purpusorum synonym of Agave ghiesbreghtii
Agave quiotifera (Pulque Agave) synonym of Agave salmiana ssp. salmiana
Agave ramosa (Century Plant, Maguey) synonym of Agave americana
Agave rasconensis (Century Plant, Maguey) synonym of Agave americana
Agave recurva (Espadin) synonym of Agave striata ssp. striata
Agave regeliana (Smooth Agave) synonym of Agave desmetiana
Agave rigida var. longifolia (Henequen) synonym of Agave fourcroydes
Agave rigida var. sisalana (Sisal) synonym of Agave sisalana
Agave roezliana synonym of Agave ghiesbreghtii
Agave salmiana ssp. salmiana (Pulque Agave)
Agave salmiana var. mitriformis (Pulque Agave) synonym of Agave salmiana ssp. salmiana
Agave scabra Salm-Dyck (Rough Leaved Agave) synonym of Agave asperrima
Agave scabra Salm-Dyck (Parry's Agave) synonym of Agave parryi var. parryi
Agave scaphoidea (Utah Agave) synonym of Agave utahensis ssp. utahensis
Agave schidigera (Maguey) synonym of Agave filifera ssp. schidigera
Agave schottii var. schottii (Schott's Century Plant, Shindagger)
Agave schottii var. serrulata (Schott's Century Plant, Shindagger) synonym of Agave schottii var. schottii
Agave sisalana (Sisal)
Agave sisalana var. armata (Sisal) synonym of Agave sisalana
Agave sonorae (Schott's Century Plant, Shindagger) synonym of Agave schottii var. schottii
Agave spectabilis Salisbury (Century Plant, Maguey) synonym of Agave americana
Agave striata ssp. falcata
Agave striata ssp. striata (Espadin)
Agave striata var. californica synonym of Agave striata ssp. falcata
Agave striata var. mesae (Espadin) synonym of Agave striata ssp. striata
Agave striata var. recurva (Espadin) synonym of Agave striata ssp. striata
Agave striata var. stricta (Hedgehog Agave) synonym of Agave stricta
Agave stricta (Hedgehog Agave)
Agave subfalcata synonym of Agave macroacantha
Agave subzonata (Century Plant, Maguey) synonym of Agave americana
Agave sudburyensis synonym of Agave macroacantha
Agave sullivani (Henequen) synonym of Agave fourcroydes
Agave theometel (Century Plant, Maguey) synonym of Agave americana
Agave toumeyana ssp. bella
Agave univittata synonym of Agave lophantha
Agave univittata var. heteracantha synonym of Agave lophantha
Agave utahensis ssp. utahensis (Utah Agave)
Agave variegata Hort.ex Steud. (Century Plant, Maguey) synonym of Agave americana
Agave vestita (Maguey) synonym of Agave filifera ssp. schidigera
Agave victoriae-reginae (Queen Victoria Agave)
Agave vilmoriana (Octopus Agave)
Agave virginica Miller (Century Plant, Maguey) synonym of Agave americana
Agave weberi (Weber Agave)
Agave whitackeri (Pulque Agave) synonym of Agave salmiana ssp. salmiana
Agave wislizeni (Parry's Agave) synonym of Agave parryi var. parryi
Agave wrightii (Maguey) synonym of Agave filifera ssp. schidigera
Agave yaquiana (Maguey Lechugilla) synonym of Agave angustifolia
Agave zapupe (Maguey Lechugilla) synonym of Agave angustifolia
Agave zonata (Century Plant, Maguey) synonym of Agave americana

© 2004 Philippe Faucon, All Rights Reserved.