''Agave americana'', commonly known as the century plant, maguey, or American aloe, is a

flowering plant Flowering plants are plants that bear flowers and fruits, and form the clade Angiospermae (). The term angiosperm is derived from the Ancient Greek, Greek words (; 'container, vessel') and (; 'seed'), meaning that the seeds are enclosed with ...

species A species () is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate sexes or mating types can produce fertile offspring, typically by sexual reproduction. It is the basic unit of Taxonomy (biology), ...

belonging to the family

Asparagaceae Asparagaceae (), known as the asparagus family, is a family of flowering plants, placed in the order Asparagales of the monocots. The family name is based on the edible garden asparagus, '' Asparagus officinalis''. This family includes both ...

. It is

native Native may refer to: People * '' Jus sanguinis'', nationality by blood * '' Jus soli'', nationality by location of birth * Indigenous peoples, peoples with a set of specific rights based on their historical ties to a particular territory ** Nat ...

to Mexico and the United States, specifically Texas. This plant is widely cultivated worldwide for its ornamental value and has become

naturalized Naturalization (or naturalisation) is the legal act or process by which a non-national of a country acquires the nationality of that country after birth. The definition of naturalization by the International Organization for Migration of the ...

in various regions, including Southern California, the West Indies, South America, the Mediterranean Basin, Africa, the Canary Islands, India, China, Thailand, and Australia. Despite being called "American aloe" in common parlance, ''Agave americana'' is not a member of the same family as ''

Aloe ''Aloe'' (; also written ''Aloë'') is a genus containing over 650 species of flowering plant, flowering succulent plant, succulent plants.WFO (2022): Aloe L. Published on the Internet;http://www.worldfloraonline.org/taxon/wfo-4000001341. Acc ...

'', although it falls under the same order,

Asparagales Asparagales (asparagoid lilies) are a diverse order of flowering plants in the monocots. Under the APG IV system of flowering plant classification, Asparagales are the largest order of monocots with 14 families, 1,122 genera, and about 36,00 ...

Description

The common name "century plant" stems from its

monocarpic Monocarpic plants are those that flower and set seeds only once, and then die. The term is derived from Greek (', "single" + , "fruit" or "grain"), and was first used by Alphonse de Candolle. Other terms with the same meaning are '' hapaxanth'' ...

nature of flowering only once at the end of its long life. After flowering, the plant dies but produces adventitious shoots from the base, allowing its growth to continue. Although it is called the century plant, it typically lives only 10 to 30 years. It has a spread around with gray-green leaves measuring in length, each with a prickly margin and a heavy spike at the tip that can pierce deeply. Towards the end of its life, the plant produces a tall, branched stalk adorned with yellow blossoms, which can reach a height of . File:Agave americana R01.jpg, On the Mediterranean island of Crete, Greece File:Maguey Agave Blossoms.JPG, Blossoms File:Variegated Century Plant -- Agave americana 'Marginata'.jpg, 'Marginata', a variegated cultivar File:Agave americana 'Medio-Picta' Plant 3264px.jpg, Cultivar 'Medio-Picta'

Taxonomy and naming

Taxonomically, ''A. americana'' was described by

Carl Linnaeus Carl Linnaeus (23 May 1707 – 10 January 1778), also known after ennoblement in 1761 as Carl von Linné,#Blunt, Blunt (2004), p. 171. was a Swedish biologist and physician who formalised binomial nomenclature, the modern system of naming o ...

in the 1753 edition of ''

Species Plantarum ' (Latin for "The Species of Plants") is a book by Carl Linnaeus, originally published in 1753, which lists every species of plant known at the time, classified into genus, genera. It is the first work to consistently apply binomial nomenclature ...

'', and its

binomial name In taxonomy, binomial nomenclature ("two-term naming system"), also called binary nomenclature, is a formal system of naming species of living things by giving each a name composed of two parts, both of which use Latin grammatical forms, altho ...

is still in use today.

Cultivation

''A. americana'' is cultivated as an

ornamental plant Ornamental plants or ''garden plants'' are plants that are primarily grown for their beauty but also for qualities such as scent or how they shape physical space. Many flowering plants and garden varieties tend to be specially bred cultivars th ...

, particularly valued for its large, dramatic mature form. It is often found in modernist,

xeriscapes Xeriscaping is the process of landscaping, or gardening, that reduces or eliminates the need for irrigation. It is promoted in regions that do not have accessible, plentiful, or reliable supplies of fresh water and has gained acceptance in other ...

(

drought-tolerant In botany, drought tolerance is the ability by which a plant maintains its biomass production during arid or drought conditions. Some plants are naturally adapted to dry conditions'','' surviving with protection mechanisms such as desiccation tole ...

), and desert-style cactus gardens. It is popularly used in hot climates and areas prone to drought. The plant's presence can evoke the ambiance of 18th- to 19th-century

Spanish colonial The Spanish Colonial Revival architecture (), often known simply as Spanish Revival, is a term used to encompass a number of revivalist architectural styles based in both Spanish colonial architecture and Spanish architecture in general. These ...

and Mexican provincial areas in the Southwestern United States, California, and

xeric Deserts and xeric shrublands are a biome defined by the World Wide Fund for Nature. Deserts and xeric (Ancient Greek 'dry') shrublands form the largest terrestrial biome, covering 19% of Earth's land surface area. Ecoregions in this habita ...

regions of Mexico. In dry beach gardens in Florida and coastal areas of the Southeastern United States, it is a favored choice for landscaping. When grown as a houseplant, ''A. americana'' is tolerant of light levels ranging from direct sunlight to shade and requires minimal watering. It undergoes a winter resting period at temperatures around . It thrives in a highly porous, sandy potting soil, should be allowed to dry out between waterings, and should be repotted annually in the spring.

Subspecies and varieties

The

World Checklist of Selected Plant Families The World Checklist of Selected Plant Families (usually abbreviated to WCSP) was an "international collaborative programme that provides the latest peer reviewed and published opinions on the accepted scientific names and synonyms of selected p ...

recognizes two

subspecies In Taxonomy (biology), biological classification, subspecies (: subspecies) is a rank below species, used for populations that live in different areas and vary in size, shape, or other physical characteristics (Morphology (biology), morpholog ...

and two

varieties Variety may refer to: Arts and entertainment Entertainment formats * Variety (radio) * Variety show, in theater and television Films * ''Variety'' (1925 film), a German silent film directed by Ewald Andre Dupont * ''Variety'' (1935 film), ...

of ''A. americana''. Additionally, there are several

cultivars A cultivar is a kind of cultivated plant that people have selected for desired traits and which retains those traits when propagated. Methods used to propagate cultivars include division, root and stem cuttings, offsets, grafting, tissue cult ...

, including 'Marginata,' 'Mediopicta,' 'Mediopicta Alba,' 'Mediopicta Aurea,' 'Striata,' and 'Variegata.' Some of these cultivars, along with the parent species, have received the

Royal Horticultural Society The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS), founded in 1804 as the Horticultural Society of London, is the UK's leading gardening charity. The RHS promotes horticulture through its five gardens at Wisley (Surrey), Hyde Hall (Essex), Harlow Carr ...

Award of Garden Merit The Award of Garden Merit (AGM) is a long-established award for plants by the British Royal Horticultural Society (RHS). It is based on assessment of the plants' performance under UK growing conditions. It includes the full range of cultivated p ...

. Two subspecies and two varieties of ''A. americana'' are:Search for "Agave americana", * ''A. americana'' subsp. ''americana'' *''A. americana'' subsp. ''protamericana'' Gentry *''A. americana'' var. ''expansa'' (Jacobi) Gentry *''A. americana'' var. ''oaxacensis'' Gentry *''A. americana'' var. ''marginata'' Trel. in L.H.Bailey, Stand. Cycl. Hort. 1: 235 (1914). *''A. americana'' var. ''picta'' (Salm-Dyck) A.Terracc., Prim. Contr. Monogr. Agave (1885). Cultivars include: *'Marginata' with yellow stripes along the margins of each leaf *'Mediopicta' with a broad cream central stripe *'Mediopicta Alba' with a central white band *'Mediopicta Aurea' with a central yellow band *'Striata' with multiple yellow to white stripes along the leaves *'Variegata' with white edges on the leaves. (those marked , as well as the parent species, have gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit).

Uses

Cuisine

''Agave americana'' has various uses starting in

pre-Columbian Mexico The pre-Columbian (or prehispanic) history of the territory now making up the country of Mexico is known through the work of archaeologists and epigraphers, and through the accounts of Spanish conquistadores, settlers and clergymen as well as ...

. If the flower stem is cut before flowering, a sweet liquid known as ''

aguamiel Aguamiel ( literally ''agua'' "water" ''miel'' "honey") is the sap of the Mexican maguey plant which is believed to have therapeutic qualities. According to Native American histories, the process of obtaining aguamiel from maguey was first di ...

'' (“) can be collected from the plant's hollowed heart. This liquid can be

fermented Fermentation is a type of anaerobic metabolism which harnesses the redox potential of the reactants to make adenosine triphosphate (ATP) and organic end products. Organic compound, Organic molecules, such as glucose or other sugars, are Catabo ...

to produce the alcoholic drink called ''

pulque Pulque (; ), occasionally known as octli or agave wine, is an alcoholic beverage made from the fermented sap of the maguey (agave) plant. It is traditional in central Mexico, where it has been produced for millennia. It has the color of milk, ...

'' or '' octli'' used in pre-Columbian Mexico. In the tequila-producing regions of Mexico, agaves are known as ''mezcales''.

Mezcal Mezcal (, ), sometimes spelled mescal, is a liquor, distilled alcoholic beverage made from any type of agave. Agaves or magueys are endemic to the Americas and found globally as ornamental plants. The ''Agave'' genus is a member of the Agavoid ...

refers to the high-alcohol product obtained through fermented agave distillation, and ''A. americana'' is among the several ''

Agave ''Agave'' (; ; ) is a genus of monocots native to the arid regions of the Americas. The genus is primarily known for its succulent and xerophytic species that typically form large Rosette (botany), rosettes of strong, fleshy leaves. Many plan ...

'' species used for this purpose. The specific mezcal known as

tequila Tequila (; ) is a liquor, distilled beverage made from the blue agave plant, primarily in the area surrounding the city of Tequila, Jalisco, Tequila northwest of Guadalajara, Jalisco, Guadalajara, and in the Jaliscan Highlands (''Los Altos (Jal ...

is produced from ''

Agave tequilana ''Agave tequilana'', commonly called blue Weber agave () or tequila agave, is an agave plant that is an important economic product of Jalisco state of Mexico, due to its role as the base ingredient of tequila. The high production of agavins (bran ...

'', commonly referred to as "blue agave." Mezcal comes in various types, some of which may be flavored with the intensely pungent

mezcal worm A mezcal worm is an insect larva found in some types of mezcal produced in Oaxaca, Mexico. The larva is a maguey worm#Red maguey worm, red maguey worm, the caterpillar of the ''Comadia redtenbacheri'' moth, usually called or ("red worm"). The ...

. Mezcal and tequila, despite being produced from agave plants, differ from pulque in their sugar extraction techniques and classification as

distilled spirits Liquor ( , sometimes hard liquor), spirits, distilled spirits, or spiritous liquor are alcoholic drinks produced by the distillation of grains, fruits, vegetables, or sugar that have already gone through alcoholic fermentation. While the w ...

. In mezcal and tequila production, the sugars are obtained by heating the piñas (or hearts) of the plants in ovens, as opposed to collecting aguamiel from the cut stalk of the plant. Therefore, if pulque were to be distilled, it would not be classified as mezcal but rather as a distinct beverage. Agaves are also found throughout Latin America and are used in similar ways. In Ecuador, the equivalent of ''pulque'' is known as '' guarango'', which has recently been distilled as ''miske''.

Agave nectar Agave syrup, also known as maguey syrup or agave nectar, is a sweetener commercially produced from several species of agave, including ''Agave tequilana'' (blue agave) and '' Agave salmiana''. Blue-agave syrup contains 56% fructose as a sugar prov ...

is marketed as a natural sweeteners with a low glycemic index, primarily due to its high

fructose Fructose (), or fruit sugar, is a Ketose, ketonic monosaccharide, simple sugar found in many plants, where it is often bonded to glucose to form the disaccharide sucrose. It is one of the three dietary monosaccharides, along with glucose and gal ...

content.

Fibers

The leaves of ''A. americana'' yield

fibers Fiber (spelled fibre in British English; from ) is a natural or artificial substance that is significantly longer than it is wide. Fibers are often used in the manufacture of other materials. The strongest engineering materials often inco ...

called ''pita'', which are suitable for making ropes, nets, bags, sacks, matting, and coarse cloth. They are also used for leather embroidery in a technique known as '' piteado''. Both pulque and maguey fiber played significant roles in the pre-Columbian economy of Mexico.

Medicine

''Agave americana'' contains agavose, a

sugar Sugar is the generic name for sweet-tasting, soluble carbohydrates, many of which are used in food. Simple sugars, also called monosaccharides, include glucose Glucose is a sugar with the Chemical formula#Molecular formula, molecul ...

that is

isomeric In chemistry, isomers are molecules or polyatomic ions with identical molecular formula – that is, the same number of atoms of each element – but distinct arrangements of atoms in space. ''Isomerism'' refers to the existence or possibility ...

(similar) to

sucrose Sucrose, a disaccharide, is a sugar composed of glucose and fructose subunits. It is produced naturally in plants and is the main constituent of white sugar. It has the molecular formula . For human consumption, sucrose is extracted and refined ...

() but with reduced sweetening power, as well as agavasaponins and agavosides. It is used in

traditional medicine Traditional medicine (also known as indigenous medicine or folk medicine) refers to the knowledge, skills, and practices rooted in the cultural beliefs of various societies, especially Indigenous groups, used for maintaining health and treatin ...

to treat various ailments, and as a

laxative Laxatives, purgatives, or aperients are substances that loosen stools and increase bowel movements. They are used to treat and prevent constipation. Laxatives vary as to how they work and the side effects they may have. Certain stimulant, lubri ...

diuretic A diuretic () is any substance that promotes diuresis, the increased production of urine. This includes forced diuresis. A diuretic tablet is sometimes colloquially called a water tablet. There are several categories of diuretics. All diuretics ...

, and

diaphoretic Perspiration, also known as sweat, is the fluid secreted by sweat glands in the skin of mammals. Two types of sweat glands can be found in humans: eccrine glands and Apocrine sweat gland, apocrine glands. The eccrine sweat glands are distribu ...

. However, a comprehensive review of research literature using systematic methods (

scientific review A review article is an article that summarizes the current state of understanding on a topic within a certain discipline. A review article is generally considered a secondary source since it may analyze and discuss the method and conclusions ...

) did not find sufficient data to support its effectiveness or safety. It is important to note that ''A. americana'' can cause severe allergic dermatitis.

Heraldry

The plant holds

heraldic Heraldry is a discipline relating to the design, display and study of armorial bearings (known as armory), as well as related disciplines, such as vexillology, together with the study of ceremony, rank and pedigree. Armory, the best-known branc ...

significance and is featured in the

coat of arms A coat of arms is a heraldry, heraldic communication design, visual design on an escutcheon (heraldry), escutcheon (i.e., shield), surcoat, or tabard (the last two being outer garments), originating in Europe. The coat of arms on an escutcheon f ...

of Don Diego de Mendoza, a Native American governor of the village of

Ajacuba Ajacuba is a town and one of the 84 municipalities of Hidalgo, in central Mexico. The municipality covers an area of 192.7 km². As of 2005, the municipality's population was 16,111. Geography It is located between the parallels 99° ...

Hidalgo Hidalgo may refer to: People * Hidalgo (nobility), members of the Spanish nobility * Hidalgo (surname) Places Mexico :''Most, if not all, named for Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla (1753–1811)'' * Hidalgo (state), in central Mexico * Hidalgo, Coah ...

.pacbell.net/nelsnfam/mexico

Art

Additionally, the

Aztecs The Aztecs ( ) were a Mesoamerican civilization that flourished in central Mexico in the post-classic period from 1300 to 1521. The Aztec people included different ethnic groups of central Mexico, particularly those groups who spoke the ...

used the pulped leaves of ''A. americana'' to create paper. The fragments known as the Humboldt fragments were made using this technique.

References

External links

Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center Native Plant Information Network (NPIN) — ''Agave americana'' ''Agave americana'' — UC Photos gallery
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Agave Americana

americana Americana may refer to: *Americana music, a genre or style of American music * Americana (culture), artifacts of the culture of the United States Film, radio and television * ''Americana'' (1981 film), an American drama film * ''Americana'' (20 ...

Flora of Northeastern Mexico Flora of Northwestern Mexico Flora of Central Mexico Flora of the Chihuahuan Desert Flora of Arizona Flora of Texas Flora of Sonora Flora of Coahuila Flora of Tamaulipas Flora of Nuevo León Flora of San Luis Potosí Flora of Oaxaca Flora of Jalisco Flora of Querétaro Flora of Veracruz Plants described in 1753 Taxa named by Carl Linnaeus Crops originating from Mexico Fiber plants Plants used in traditional Native American medicine Garden plants of North America Drought-tolerant plants