Art by Audrey Carver • Arte por Audrey Carver

I'm also known as • También se me conoce como:

Agave

Agave

Agave spp.

I am a large succulent with thick blue-green leaves that grow in a wide circle called a rosette. My fleshy leaves store water, allowing me to survive long periods without rain. After many years of growing, I send up a towering flower stalk that can rise higher than a house. My nectar-rich flowers attract hummingbirds, insects, and even bats. After I bloom, I produce seeds and new baby plants, called pups, that grow around my base. My dense leaves provide shelter for reptiles, insects, and small mammals, while my fibrous roots help hold dry soil in place and quickly absorb rainwater. From making strong rope to tasty food, I help people in a number of ways. I am well adapted to heat and drought, but changes in rainfall can affect when I flower and how successfully my young plants grow.

​