Agave

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Agave

Agave is also called American Aloe. Century Plant. From the queen of Greek mythology, Agave. May be also derived from agauoa, admirable, referring to the stately form in which some of them flower. Nat. Ord. Amaryllidacece.

This genus is described by B. S. Williams as follows: "They are noble, massive growing plants, and form magnificent ornaments in the green-house or conservatory; whilst, from their slow growth they do not rapidly get too large, even for a small green-house. Indeed some of the real gems of this genus are neat, compact-growing plants, seldom exceeding two feet 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 rock-work, 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."

A number of the dwarfer growing species, such as A. applanata, A. attenuata, A. Celsiana, A.filifera, A. Salmiana. A. Victoria Regina, and many others, are much used in sub-tropical gardening, and for bedding out on lawns, etc., during summer.

A. Americana, is a splendid decorative plant, a native of South America introduced to cultivation in 1640. The varieties with striped foliage are considered the most desirable as ornamental plants. It was at one time a prevailing idea that this plant only flowered once in a hundred years ; but this is found now to be a popular error. If given sufficient heat, it will flower when ten or twelve years old. The flower stem rises from the center of the plant to a height of about thirty feet, bearing an immense number of yellowish-green flowers, after perfecting which the plant perishes.

Propagation of Agave

New plants are formed around the base of the old one in the form of suckers.

Usefulness of Agave

It furnishes a variety of products; the plants form impenetrable fences; the leaves furnish fibers of various qualities, from that used in the finest thread to that in the strongest rope cables ; the juice, when the watery partis evaporated, forms a good soap, and will mix and form a lather with salt water as well as fresh ; a very intoxicating drink is also made from the juice, as well as other preparations of a similar nature ; the leaves are made into razor-strops, and are also used in scouring all sorts of culinary utensils. Over one hundred species have been described, but according to Bentham and Hooker, not over fifty are sufficiently distinct to rank as such.

Distribution of Agave

They are distributed over South America, Mexico, and the Southern States.

Related Agave Articles

see Greenhouse plants