Unusual agave flower: features of the plant and photos of popular varieties

Agave is a succulent that grows in certain regions of America and is quite difficult to take root in our climate. But there are some species that, with proper care, will delight their owners with a beautiful view.

In addition, agave is a useful plant, with which you can fight diseases such as arthrosis, gout, inflammation, etc.

In the article we will analyze the characteristics of this plant, tell about the history of origin, show photos of various types of agave.

What it is?

Agave is a succulent, not a cactus, as many believe. The plant accumulates moisture in the leaves, not in the stems.

Other plant names:

• Blue agave.
• American Aloe.
• Magyui.

What agave is and how it differs from cactus and aloe is written here.

Where did the flower come from and what is it?

Where does the flower grow and on what continent is its homeland of origin? Where does the plant live now? Agave originally went from Mexico, but now grows around the world under similar growth conditions: in sunny and dry climates and in well-drained soil.

The appearance of the plant is as follows:

1. Thorny leaves, up to 3.5 m high.
2. Succulent lanceolate leaves with short stems, up to 200 x 25 cm, light greenish gray.
3. Leaves, with prickly thorns up to 1 cm long, end thorns up to 5 cm long.
4. Flowering structure (inflorescence) of a multifranched stem up to 9 m high.
5. The flowers are yellow, up to 10 cm long.
6. Fruits up to 5 cm long, oblong with short beaks at the tip, full of shiny black seeds.

Description of species and photos, how they look

Below you can find a description of the most popular species and varieties of indoor and wild succulents, and see their photos. These types include:

Albomarginata Gentry 1982

Individual buds have only a few long narrow blue - gray leaves up to one meter long. Leaf borders have white edges, small white spikes and gray end spikes. Inflorescence - spike of greenish-yellow flowers. This plant is considered cold-resistant and is an excellent choice for gardeners.

Americana

Agave americana is a typical species for the genus Agave. Most often grown as an ornamental plant, and it spread throughout all the temperate and tropical regions of the globe. Due to its wide distribution, its exact origin is unknown, although it is probably from Mexico. Agave America was introduced early to Europe. Huge leaves up to two meters long are a source of fiber. A large flower stalk usually grows for two years, after which it blooms.

Arizonica

This small agave is a rare natural hybrid between A. chrysantha x A. toumeya var. bella. Stems grow up to thirty centimeters tall. Dark green lanceolate leaves have reddish-brown fields with well-spaced small spikes and a reddish-brown terminal spine. The inflorescence is a short branch with clusters of yellow flowers, straightened stamens. It is found near the top of Marikopa-Yavapai north of Phoenix, Arizona.

Attenuata salm-dyck

This is a very peculiar succulent plant with a large core of soft green leaves more than sixty centimeters long and up to two meters wide. The tips of the leaves are soft and the edges are smooth or very finely serrated, so this plant is suitable for planting near pedestrian walkways. This species comes from central Mexico; it does not withstand significant frosts.

Blue (tequilana)

One of the types of agave, widely used in agriculture for the production of tequila alcoholic beverage. The cultivation culture has reached its highest development in the state of Jalisco, Mexico, primarily in the area of ​​the city of Tequila.

Where does this kind of plant grow? Blue agave also grows in the wild, but is significantly different in its characteristics from the domestic variety. A wild species grows in western Mexico in a dry tropical climate at an altitude of more than 1,500 m above sea level, preferring red sand with a high sand content.

Both the indoor flower and its wild species begin their life cycle with a period of intensive growth as a succulent (drought-tolerant) plant with a long, fleshy arrow-like leaves typical of agave. Upon reaching the age of five, an shoot appears about 5 meters long, crowned with an inflorescence of yellow flowers.

The flowers are pollinated at night by bats of Leptonycteris nivalis, and then several thousand seeds ripen in their place. After that, the wild plant dies.

Benefits and contraindications

The plant brings a lot of benefits, namely:

1. Juice made from agave contains estrogen-like isoflavonoid, alkaloids, coumarin and vitamins B1, B2, C, D and K and provitamin A.
2. Agave has antiseptic, wound healing and anti-inflammatory properties, which explains its use as a medicinal herb for the treatment of burns, bruises, minor contractions, injuries and skin irritation caused by insect bites.
3. In Central America, agave juice has long been used to treat wounds. The Aztecs and Mayans used it and egg whites to make a poultice, which they then adjusted to wounds to speed healing.
4. Traditionally, it has been used to treat ulcers, inflammation of the stomach, tuberculosis, jaundice and other liver diseases, syphilis and menstrual problems. It is also used to treat high fever, causing sweat.
5. A lotion made from root and leaves is often used to treat toothache.
6. Agave was used as a herbal remedy for poor digestion, intestinal gas and constipation. Juice has antibacterial properties and can be used intravenously to combat the growth of decay bacteria in the stomach and intestines.
7. Although the plant seems laxative, the herb can also be used to treat diarrhea and dysentery.
8. This healing herb is a source of gecogenin, a compound used in the production of many steroid drugs.
9. All parts of the plant are harvested as needed, and then dried for later use. Dried roots and leaves may persist for a long time.

Contraindications for this plant are as follows:

• Causes an allergic reaction.
• Do not use for people with liver disease.
• After use, a feeling of heaviness, bloating, bitterness in the mouth may appear.
• You can not eat pregnant, nursing mothers and people who are planning a baby. The plant inhibits reproductive function.

You can learn more about the healing properties of agave, as well as the benefits and harms of this plant from our article.

Bloom

Agave is often called the plant of the century, because there is an opinion that it blooms once every hundred years. This is a fallacy, as she has a life expectancy of twenty to thirty years. Then the plant dries. It blooms several times. This happens when the plant reaches the age of six. A long stem grows, which is strewn with many flowers (up to seventeen thousand pieces).

Read more about the flowering of this plant here.

Fruit

The fruits of the plant are somewhat similar to pineapple, only their size is much larger. They grow provided that the field is located at an altitude of one and a half kilometers above sea level. Air temperature within twenty degrees. The main thing is that the amount of precipitation should not exceed 100 mm per year.

Below you can see how the fruits look in the photo.

Care and growing

When caring for a plant at home, there are 4 rules:

• Good drainage sandy soil and plenty of sunshine up to 6 hours a day.
• Gently with water. Water once or twice a week. Do not use water in winter.
• It is not advisable to fertilize. And if you fertilize it just a little.
• Protection against colds.

We wrote more about growing and leaving agave in a separate article.

Growing agave at home in a pot is a complex procedure that requires a lot of effort. It is important to create a comfortable environment for germination. But with our climate, this is almost unrealistic. Then greenhouses come to the rescue, with the appropriate temperature, soil and humidity.