WikiBotanicals:Agave

Agave (from agauos, admirable; referring to the  stately form in which some of them flower). Flower-scape tall, proceeding from the centre of the rosette of leaves; perianth funnel-shaped, six-parted. Leaves large, fleshy, tufted.

Background
Mr. B. S. Williams describes them as  follows:


 * " They are noble, massive-growing plants, and form  magnificent ornaments in the greenhouse or conservatory;  whilst, from their slow growth, they do not rapidly get too  large, even for a small greenhouse. Indeed, some of the  real gems of this genus are neat, compact-growing plants,  seldom exceeding 2ft. in height. Besides being fine ornamental plants for indoor decoration, the larger growing  kinds are unquestionably the finest objects for the embellishment of terrace-walks, or surmounting flights of steps  in the open air during the summer season, and also for  plunging in rockwork, or about any rustic nooks in the  pleasure-grounds, as, in such situations, they are quite in  keeping, and thrive admirably. As is well known, they  attain maturity very slowly; but when this condition is  reached, the plant sends up a flower spike, and, after  perfecting this, dies."

Cultivation
A. Sartorii, and a few others are exceptional, and go on flowering year after year. It is certainly fallacious to suppose it takes them a hundred years to flower. Agaves succeed well potted in good  loam and river sand, to which may be added a little peat and leaf mould for some of the smaller-growing kinds. The  drainage should be good, as they enjoy a liberal supply  of water during the summer season, but during winter considerably less will be required. They can be increased  by suckers when these are to be obtained, and also by  seeds, to secure the production of which, in the species that do not yield suckers, the flowers should be carefully impregnated.

Species
A. albicans (whitened). Probably a variety of A. micrantha.

A. americana (American). flower yellowish-green, 2in. to 3 1/2in. long, in very dense globose clusters, on pedicels 1/4in. to 1/2in. long; scape, including the thyrsoid panicle, 24ft. to 36ft. high. August. Varieties:
 * A. a. mexicana (Mexican). A variety much shorter in the leaves  than the species, of which it may be regarded as one of the many  small forms.
 * A. a. picta (painted). leaves 2ft. to 3ft. long, about 4in. wide, lower  ones recurved, upper ones erect, moderately thick, rich golden  yellow on both sides, bordered with dark green. A very splendid  variety. SYN. A. ornata.
 * A. a. variegata (variegated). leaves 6ft. or more in length, 6in. or  8in. wide, dark green in the centre, broadly margined with rich  yellow. A very desirable variety.

A. amœna (pleasing). Referred to A. Scolymus.

A. amurensis (Amur River). Synonymous with A. xylacantha.

A. applanata (plano-convex-leaved), flower unknown. leaves twenty to  forty in a dense sessile rosette, reaching a couple of feet in diameter, oblong-spathulate, 8in. to 12in. long, 2in. to 3 1/2in. broad. Mexico, 1869.

A. atrovirens (dark -green). Synonymous with A. Salmiana.

A. attennuata (attenuated). flower greenish-yellow, 2in. long; pedicels about 1/4in. long, on a dense spike, 6ft. to 8ft. long, and 6in. in diameter; bracts overtopping the perianth. leaves ten to twenty,  in a dense rosette at the top of the stem, oblong-spathulate, 2ft to 2 1/2ft. long.

A. Beaucarnel (Beaucarne's). Synonymous with A. Kerchovei

A. Botterii (Botteri's). flower greenish-yellow, about 1in. long, on a  dense spike, longer than the leaves; primary bracts lanceolate, with a long point, the lower ones as long as the flowers.

A. bulbifera (bulb-bearing). Synonymous with A. vivipara.

A. cæspitosa (tufted). Synonymous with A. Sartorii.

A. cantula. Synonymous with A. vivipara.

A. Celsiana (Celsius'). flower tinged purplish-brown, 2in. long, in a dense spike, 1ft or more long, and 6in. to 8in. hi diameter when expanded; scape 4ft. long.

A. coccinea (scarlet). flower unknown. leaves twenty to thirty in a dense rosette, oblanceolate-spathulate, 1 1/2ft. to 2ft. long, 4in. to 6in. broad two-thirds of the way up, narrowed to 3in. above.

A. cochlearis (cochleate). flower yellowish green, above 4in. long, in dense clusters. leaves forming a sessile rosette 10ft. broad oblong-spathulate, 5ft. to 6ft. long, above 1ft. broad, 5in. thick at the base.

A. Consideranti (Considerant's). Synonymous with A. Victoriœ Regina.

A. Corderoyi (Corderoy's). flower unknown. leaves forty to fifty in a dense rosette, rigidly erecto-patent ensiform, 1 1/2ft. long, 3/4in. to 1in. broad, bright green.

A. crenata (crenated). Referred to A. Scolymus.

A. cucullata (hooded). Referred to A. Scolymus.

A. dasylirioides (Dasylirion-like). flower yellow, about 1 1/2in. long;  spike as long as the scape, often decurved; lower bracts much longer than the flowers; pedicels obsolete; scape 6ft. long. Varieties:
 * A. d. dealbata (whitened). A variety of preceding, but with more  glaucous foliage.

A. densiflora (close-flowered). flower yellowish-red, 1 1/2in. to 2in. long, on a dense spike, 2ft. long; pedicels very short; scape, including the spike, 6ft. long.

A. Deserti (Desert's). flower yellow, under 2in. long, on a thyrsoid  panicle, the branches very short, the lower horizontal, the upper ascending; pedicels short. Varieties:
 * A. D. simplex Southern California, Nevada and Arizona. plants usually with one or only a few rosettes; perianth tube 5–10 mm. The bright yellow flowers of the Agave deserti are organized in a 8 to 13 feet tall panicle (2.5 to 4 m).

A. Desmetiana (De Smet's). Probably synonymous with A. miradorensis.

A. Elemeetiana (Elemeet's). flower yellowish-green, 1in. to 1 1/2in. long, in a dense spike 8ft. to 9ft. long, 7in. to 8in. in diameter when expanded; pedicels 1/4in. long; scape, including the spike.

A. Fenzliana (Fenzl's). Synonymous with A. Hookeri.

A. ferox (fierce). flower unknown. leaves about twenty in a rosette, oblong-spathulate, 4in. to 8in. broad; face nearly flat; except at the top, slightly glaucous green.

A. Galeotti (Galeotti's). flower unknown. leaves thirty to forty in a dense rosette, 2ft. to 3ft. broad, oblong-spathulate, 1ft. to 1 1/2ft long, 2in. to 6in. broad; face rather flat or convex, green; terminal  spine hard, pungent; prickles close, straight, or slightly hooked, purplish-black. Mexico, 1877.

A. Ghiesbreghtii (Ghiesbreght's). flower unknown. leaves thirty to forty in a dense rosette, rigid, lanceolate, 9in. to 12in. long, 2in. to 3in. broad, bright glossy green.

A. heteracantha (various-spined). flower greenish, 1 1/2in. long, on a dense spike 3ft. long; scape 3ft. to 4ft. long.

A. Hookeri (Hooker's). flower large, yellow, very numerous, in stalked panicled cymes. leaves thirty to forty in a sessile rosette, 8ft. or 9ft. in diameter, oblanceolate-spathulate, bright green on the face.

A. horrida (horrid). flower unknown. leaves thirty to forty in a dense rosette, rigid, lanceolate-spathulate, 8in. to 12in. long, 1in. to 2in. broad, bright green; terminal spine pungent, nearly 1in. long; margin furnished with a continuous broad grey border, with to pious prickles 3/8in. to 1/2in. long. Varieties:
 * A. h. Gilbeyi (Gilbey's). flower about thirty, 3in. to 4in. long, 2in. broad, dark green with a pale stripe down the middle, three to four large spines on each side.  Mexico, 1873.
 * A. h. lævior (smoother). leaves somewhat narrower, longer, with marginal spines less strongly developed, and of a paler four.  Mexico, 1870.
 * A. h. macrodonta (long-toothed). leaves fifty to sixty, 2 1/2in. broad; spines larger than in the typical form.  Mexico, 1876.
 * A. h. micrantha (small-toothed). Border of leaf narrower, and spines smaller, than in the typical form.

A. Jacobiana (Jacob's). Synonymous with A. Salmiana.

A. Kerchovei (Kerchove's). flower unknown. leaves thirty to forty in a stemless rosette, stiff, rigid, typically ensiform, 6in. to 12in. long 1 1/2in. to 2in. broad, narrowing gradually to a pungent spine 1in. long dull green. Varieties:
 * A. K. diplacantha (double-spined). With very few distant, small teeth, often collected or united in pairs.
 * A. K. inermis (unarmed). Dwarf, with spines entirely obsolete.
 * A. K. macrodonta (long-toothed). leaves 1 1/2ft. long, without any  distinct central band, and with copious irregular grey lanceolate  prickles, about 1/3in. long.
 * A. K. pectinata (comb-like). leaves 1ft. long, 2 1/4in. broad, without  any central band.

A. lophantha (crest-flowered). flower greenish, arranged in a dense spike 4ft. to 5ft. long; scape 7ft. to 8ft long, its leaves brown, the lower ones 6in. long. Varieties:
 * A. l. cœrulescens (bluish). leaves with a decided glaucous bloom.
 * A. l. longifolia (long-leaved). A mere variety of above species.

A. macracantha (long-spined). flower greenish, 2in. long, ten to twelve in a loose raceme 6in. long, all solitary on ascending pedicels 1/4in. to 1/2in. long; scape 2ft. to 3ft. long; bracts erect. leaves thirty to fifty in a stiff rosette.

A. Maximiliana (Maximilian's). flower unknown. leaves about twenty in a sessile rosette, oblanceolate-spathulate, 1 1/2ft, to 2ft. long, 1 3/4in. to 3in. broad. Varieties:
 * A. m. katharinae
 * A. m. maximiliana

A. mckelveyana (McKelvey's Century Plant). small, relatively rare, dwarf species from western Arizona. Yellow flowers on a 10 feet tall panicle (3 m), in late spring. leaves spreading, broadest at middle.

A. micracantha (small-spined). flower yellowish, 1 1/2in. long, in a dense spike 3ft. to 4ft. long, 6in. to 7in. broad when expanded. leaves twenty to thirty in a shortly stalked rosette.

A. miradorensis (Mirador). flower unknown. leaves about thirty in a sessile rosette, oblanceolate-spathulate, 1 1/2ft., to 2ft. long, 2in. to 2 1/2in.

A. Noackii (Noack's). A synonym of A. Sartorii.

A. ornata (adorned). A synonym of A. americana picta.

A. Ortgiesiana (Ortgies'). A dwarf form of A. schidigera with a pale central band to the leaf. Mexico, 1861. A widely-distributed and desirable species.

A. pendula (pendulous). Synonymous with A. Sartorii.

A. Poselgerii (Poselger's). flower purplish, rather more than 1in. long; scape, including the spike, 6ft. to 10ft. leaves twenty to thirty in a dense rosette, rigid, ensiform, 1ft. to 1 1/2ft, long, 1 1/2in. to 2in. broad at the middle.

A. potatorum (drinkers'), flower greenish yellow, 3in. long; scape 12ft. high, including the thyrsoid panicle, which is 4ft. to 5ft. long. leaves about twenty in a dense sessile rosette.

A. pruinosa (frosty). flower unknown. leaves ten to twenty in a dense rosette, spreading, oblanceolate-oblong, 1 1/2ft, to 2ft. long, 4in. to 5in. broad above the middle.

A. Roezliana (Roezl's). flower unknown. leaves twenty to thirty in a sessile rosette, stiff, ensiform, 6in. to 7in. long, 1in. to 1 1/2in. broad at  the middle, bright glossy green, with a distinct pale band down the centre.

A. Salmiana (Prince Salm-Dyck's). flower greenish yellow, 4in. long; panicle thyrsoid, 6ft. to 8ft. long, with erecto-patent  branches and flowers in dense clusters; scape, exclusive of the panicle. Varieties:
 * A. S. latissima (very broad). leaves 2ft. to 3ft. long, by 8in. to 9in.  broad above the middle.

A. Sartorii (Sartor's), flower greenish, 1 1/2in. long; pedicels very short, in a dense spike about 3ft. long, 5in. to 6in. broad when expanded; scape 3ft. to 4ft. long, the green linear ascending bracts 2in. to 4in. long.

A. schidigera (spine-bearing). flower almost identical with ''A. filifera''. leaves fifty to eighty in a dense sessile rosette, stiff, ensiform, 12in. to 15in. long.

A. Schnittspahni (Schnittspahn's). Referred to A. Scolymus.

A. Scolymus (Scolymus). flower greenish yellow, 2 1/2in. to 3in. long;  branches few, with the flowers at the end in very dense clusters; scape 14ft. to 16ft. high, including the thyrsoid panicle, which is 4ft. long and 2ft. broad. Varieties:
 * A. S. Saundersii (Saunders'). flower about 1ft. long; teeth very  large.

A. Seemanni (Seemann's). flower unknown. leaves twenty in a sessile rosette, 1ft. to 1 1/2ft, broad, oblong-spathulate, 6in. to 9in. long, 3in. to 3 1/2in. broad at the middle.

A. Shawii (Shaw's). flower greenish yellow, 3in. to 3 1/2in. long; panicle thyrsoid, about 2ft. long and broad; clusters dense, composed of thirty to forty flowers, surrounded by large foliaceous fleshy bracts.

A. sobolifera (soboliferous). flower greenish yellow, 2in. to 2 1/2in. long, in a deltoid panicle, of which the lower panicles are 9in. to 12in. long, and bear a hundred flowers each; pedicels 1/4in. to 1in. long.

A. striata (striated-leaved). flower brownish green outside, yellow inside, 1in. to 1 1/2in. long; pedicels very short; spike dense, 2ft. to 3ft. long; bracts linear, shorter than the flowers; scape 6ft. to 8ft. high. Varieties:
 * A. s. echinoides (Echinus-like). leaves about 6in. long, 1/8in. broad at  the middle; face flat. Mexico, 1869. Dwarfer and stiffer in habit  than the variety stricta.
 * A. s. recurva (recurved-leaved). leaves longer than in the type, 3ft.  to 4ft., more or less falcate, narrower, and decidedly convex on  both surfaces.
 * A. s. stricta (upright). leaves about 1ft. long, very stiff, 1/4in. broad at  the middle, both faces convex. A. Richardsii comes near to this  variety.

A. tehuacensis (Tehuan). Synonymous with A. Salmiana.

A. tequilana (tequila). wild "blue" agaves sprout a shoot when about five years old, which grows into a stem up to five meters and topped with yellow flowers.

A. uncinata (hooked). Synonymous with A. polyacantha.

A. univittata (one-striped). flower green, 1 1/2in. long (or less); spike 10ft. to 12ft. long, 6in. to 7in. thick; pedicels 1/4in. long; scape 4ft. long, exclusive of the spike, its bracts dense and squarrose.

A. utahensis (Utahan). flower yellowish, about 1in. long; peduncles ultimately 1/4in. long; scapes, 5ft. to 7ft. high, including the 1ft. to 2ft. spike. leaves stemless, ensiform, 6in. to 12in. long. Varieties:
 * A. u. eborispina (Ivory-spined Agave). rosettes up to 3in. long, this subspecies is considered a dwarf form, growing 8 to 12 inches tall, of the larger utahensis, with the exception of elongated spines. leaves margin variegated.
 * A. u. kaibabensis (Grand Canyon Century Plant). the giant form of A. utahensis.  small rosette to 14 inches wide and pups freely.
 * A. u. nevadensis (Nevada Agave). native of dry, stony calcareous outcrops to the east of the Mojave Desert with desert scrub; leaves pale blue-green, linear-laceolate, straight or falcate, spiked, convex below, stiff.  flower light yellow, bulbous clusters.

A. Vanderdonckii (Vanderdonck's). Synonymous with A. xylacantha.

A. variegata (variegated). flower greenish, about 1 1/2in. long; spike about 1ft. long, fifteen to twenty flowered; bracts minute, deltoid; scape 2ft. long, exclusive of the spike, bearing about twelve lanceolate bract leaves.

A. Verschaffeltii (Verschaffelt's). Referred to A. Scolymus.

A. virginica (Virginian). flower greenish yellow, 1in. to 1 1/4in. long; spike very loose, 1ft. to 1 1/2ft. long; lower flowers with very short pedicels and lanceolate bracts, about 1/4in. long; scape 2ft. to 3ft. high.

A. vivipara (viviparous). flower greenish yellow, 1 1/2in. to 2in. long, often changed into bulbilæ, which bear lanceolate leaves 6in. long before they fall and take root; inflorescence reaching a height of 20ft. or more.

A. Warelliana (Warell's). leaves about thirty in a rosette, oblong spathulate, 9in. to. lOin. long, 3in. broad above the middle, narrowed to 2in. above the dilated base.

A. Wislizeni (Wislizenius's). flower 2 1/2in. long; panicle thyrsoid. its branches 3in. to 6in. long; pedicels very short; scape 12ft. high. leaves about thirty in a dense, rigid, sessile rosette, which is under 2ft. broad.

A. xalapensis. Synonymous with A. polyacantha.

A. xylonacantha (woody-spined). flower green, 1 1/2in. long; spike dense, rather shorter than the scape, its bracts linear-subulate; scape 5ft. to 6ft. long, its bracts subulate, all ascending, the lower ones 6in. to 8in. long. Varieties:
 * A. x. hybrida is a striking dwarf variety with vittate leaves,  and smaller, more crowded deltoid-cuspidate prickles than in  the type. It is also commonly known as A. x. vittata and A. perbella.

A. yuccæfolla (Yucca-leaved). flower greenish yellow, 1 1/4in. to 1 1/2in. long, in a dense spike 6in. to 15in. long, about 14in. in diameter sessile, solitary, or in pairs; scape 12ft. to 20ft. high.