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The agave plant is well known for the production of alcoholic beverages like tequila, which is produced by blue agave. Several other agave plants are used for other reasons, including ornamental purposes.
Some of the most common types of agave plants include the foxtail agave, blue agave, Caribbean agave, whales tongue agave, American century agave, octopus agave, etc.
In this article, we will be going into detail about these agave varieties and what they are used for, so stick with us.
Types Of Agave Plants
Some amazing agave plants varieties include:
1. Foxtail Agave
The foxtail agave plant has silver and green foliage that look graceful. The flower’s rosette looks like the fox’s tail which earned it its name, foxtail agave. The amazing thing about this flower is that, unlike other varieties, this agave plant has no terminal spines or teeth.
See Also: Types Of Magnolia Trees
2. Blue Agave
The agave tequilana is an agave plant used to produce tequila, which earned it its botanical name, tequiana. These plants can also get to a height of seven feet with their blue-green foliage.
3. Whales Tongue Agave
The whale tongue agave plant is a cold and hardy plant that gets its name due to the thick and cupped leaves they possess. They are usually blue.
4. Queen Victoria Agave
The Queen Victoria agave plant is quite rare, but it is a very beautiful and small variety of agave plants that you wouldn’t mind having in your home. The Queen Victoria agave has thick green foliage and white outlines with many details.
Queen Victoria’s agave is an amazing plant that would do well in your home when you place them in a container. These plants are mostly known for their pointed leaves and their spines with beautiful lines across them.
To get the most out of this amazing plant, it is advised that you plant them in areas with full sun and well-draining soil. These plants can survive temperatures ranging from 55 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit, but you can also see them surviving in cooler temperatures like 40 degrees.
The flowers of these agave plants are usually creamy and appear just once in a lifetime.
5. Thread Leaf Agave
The botanical name for this agave plant is agave filifera. This agave plant variety has an ornamental look, and this is because of its steaming rosettes that surround its flowers.
The imprints on the leaves are white and thread-like, hence, its name. This plant can grow up to two feet high and has self-reproductive heads that you can easily pot.
This agave species is very common in Mexico. The leaves of these plant are sharp and needle-like, and it also has an average height of 1-2 feet.
These plants usually come as pale green plants with white stripes across their ends. The thread agave requires a lot of sun for it to able to function properly, and it would do better in sandy and loamy soil.
6. Mountain Agave
The mountain agave Montana is a variety of agave plants that are said to grow its leaves about a few times in decades. Even with all the time waiting, it is worth watching this plant’s leaves grow.
The leaves of this plant can grow up to an amazing height of 12 feet tall asparagus-like shoot emerges from its shoot.
7. Ferocious Giant Agave
The giant agave is a ferocious plant that can grow broadly for a long time. The name of this plant was obtained as a result of the hooked spines attached to the plant. This plant can grow up to a height of 11 feet and also produces red flowers.
8. Twin Flowered Agave
The twin flowered agave can also be referred to as the Mexico west coast. This plant can only be able to grow up to a height of two feet tall and a width of three feet wide.
Even when this plant grows, it usually forms another pair of similar flower tails on the other side, hence the name.
9. Artichoke Agave
The artichoke agave is also referred to as the agave parryi. This plant comes in a rosette form and can grow up to a height of two meters with its blue and green leaves. The artichoke plant is said to be drought tolerant, and it also can thrive in most soil types.
Even with those, please plant these plants in well-draining soil. Ensure you only know a little when watering because these plants can survive dry conditions. Overwatering can easily lead to root rot in these plants.
10. Hedgehog Agave
If you are the type to want to add this desert-like vine to your home, then the hedgehog agave is what you should settle for. This perennial plant is a great sight in several areas with its succulent and fleshy leaves that look like hedgehog spines.
These plants grow slowly and would do well with just a little maintenance. These plants, like the artichoke agave, only require a little watering to work properly.
These plants are also very easy to propagate, so if you know someone with the hedgehog agave, you can ask them to share some of their cuttings with you.
11. Agave Colorata
This agave variety is also known as the Mescal ceniza. And is also native to Mexico. These plants also can grow up to 2-3 feet tall and would be suitable to grow in containers. These leaves are blue-green and have sharp spines along their margins.
The agave colorata is majorly cultivated as an ornamental plant and would do well in rock gardens, coastal gardens, and border plants. The agave colorata is used to produce tequila and several other alcoholic beverages.
12. Agave bracteosa
The green spider agave, also known as the squid agave, has smooth and slender leaves with a plat and tapered appearance. The leaves resemble ribbons and also have a rosette center. Several agaves die after flowering, but that is not the case with this green spider variety.
After flowering, it continues to produce offsets that you can replace. These plants are suitable for residential areas, so do not hesitate to plant them in your area.
What Are Agave Plants Used For?
Apart from beautifying the home, this agave plant has several other uses. Some other popular uses of the agave plant include;
- Having edible fruits and pods when cooked
- The fibers of these agave plants are used to produce ropes and cloth
- The stem bases of some agave plant species can be eaten either raw or cooked
- The roots of a lot of species contain a substance that you can use as soap
Conclusion
Several types of agave plants can meet up with your environmental needs. All you need to do is go to your local plant store and make more inquiries on the species you want to get.
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