Agave americana, L.

Tutin, T. G., Heywood, V. H., Burges, N. A., Moore, D. M., Valentine, D. H., Walters, S. M. & Webb, D. A., 1980, Flora Europaea. Volume 5. Alismataceae to Orchidaceae (Monocotyledones), Cambridge: Cambridge University Press : 74

1. A. americana L. , Sp. Pl. 323 (1753) .

Very robust, stoloniferous herb; stem scarcely developed. Leaves 1-2 m x 15-25 cm, constricted above the broad, sheathing base, glaucous, remotely spinose-dentate, with a stout, blackish terminal spine 2-3 cm long. Scape (including inflorescence) 4-7(-10) m. Peduncle 8-15 cm in diameter, woody at maturity, equal to or shorter than the panicle, bearing triangular, leaf-like bracts. Panicle pyramidal; flowers aggregated in dense clusters at the ends of horizontal branches; leafy buds sometimes present in axils of bracteoles, replacing some or all of the flowers. Flowers (including ovary) 70-90 mm; perianth-segments linear-oblong, obtuse, erect, greenish-yellow. Filaments 70-80 mm, inserted on the hypanthial tube; anthers 30-35 mm. Capsule oblong, trigonous. Widely naturalized, mainly near the coast, in the Mediterranean region, C. & S. Portugal and Açores. [Al Az Bl Co Cr Ga Gr Hs It Ju Lu Sa Si.] (Mexico.)

A rosette requires at least 10 years’ growth before flowering, and often much longer. After flowering it dies, but most plants perennate by stolons.

The appearance of leafy buds in the inflorescence appears to be, at least in part, a response to injury to the flowers by frost.