El American agave it is one of those plants that adapt so well to living anywhere that it is easy for it to become common. But it is not less beautiful because it is very visible; In fact, nowadays a lot is planted in xero-gardens, that is, in those where the plants have to be kept perfect only with the water that falls from the sky as long as it is not considered an invasive plant.
Because yes, unfortunately it is a kind of Agave that is prohibited in many countries. For this reason, We are going to tell you everything about it so that, in this way, you know how to identify it every time you have doubts.
What are their characteristics?
American agave is the scientific name of a species native to Mexico and the southern United States which has become naturalized in South America, Spain, Asia, India, Australia and New Caledonia. It was described by Carlos Linneo and published in Species Plantarum in 1753, and receives the common names of agave, maguey, common pita or yellow maguey.
It is characterized by having succulent, spiny leaves that grow in a spiral. They measure up to 2 meters long by 25cm wide, are lanceolate, and of different colors: bluish-white, gray-white, green or variegated (green and yellow). As they age, they form a stem that acts as a "false trunk" that usually measures a maximum of 30cm.
Flowers only once at the end of its life, which is what is known as a monocarpic plant. When that happens, an inflorescence about ten meters high by about 10 cm in diameter sprouts from the center, at the upper end of which the florets appear, distributed in open panicles. Each of them is about 5-10cm. The fruit is an elongated trigone capsule inside which we will find flat black seeds. Before die, it emits a large number of suckers from its root.
Agave Americana f Variegata
Image from Flickr / Megan Hansen
Does it have any use?
In those countries where it has been naturalized, the truth is that it is not, since its possession in the vast majority of cases -including Spain- is prohibited, but in the rest it is used as ornamental plant, in addition to produce the mezcal which is a liquor that is made with the juice rich in sugar extracted from the sap of the flower stem. On the other hand, in Central America it is also used as therapeutic: the sap as a poultice; taken to treat diarrhea, constipation, indigestion, jaundice and as a laxative; and the infusion of leaves as purgatives.
Finally, we cannot forget that with the textile fiber of its leaves rope, nets and other similar objects are produced, this being a very resistant material.