High Desert Plants: Planting and Growing the Century Plant

From the Agavaceae, or Agave family of plants, the Century Plant, or Agave americana, is a drought tolerant evergreen perennial that has also been known as the Maguey or the American aloe. A large plant that is perfect for gardens looking for that extra “wow” factor, it does have sharp edges and isn’t right for everyone.

Century Plant Description

Gray-green succulent leaves are the focal point of the Century Plant. Growing up to six feet long, the leaves are evergreen and form a basal rosette. Spines are sharp and can be curved, looking much like a fish hook in the way it grows. Flowers grow on a stalk measuring 20 to 40 feet high after the plant has been growing for more than ten years. It will not flower on plants under ten years of age. Blooms are yellow-green.

Planting an Agave Americana

Plant a Century plant in full sun with a well-drained acidic soil. Soil should also be sandy or gravelly, much like rock gardens or arid desert environments. It is drought tolerant, with a USDA hardiness of zones 8b through 11. To propagate, use seed or offsets. It will have a good tolerance for partial shade conditions and does alright in shallow soils. There isn’t much maintenance to one of these plants, although the size can be cumbersome.

Using the Century Plant

This is used in desert gardens and rock gardens. It can be a wonderful specimen plant in nurseries and botanical gardens. As a succulent, it works in any cactus gardens and in Southwest landscapes. With its sharp leaves, some plant it as a deterrent. As a container plant, it will be much smaller than when allowed to grow freely.

Historical Value of Agave Americana

The Century plant has been used in medicinal medicines. The leaf juice was once used for constipation or indigestion or applied topically to skin bruising. The sap can be a laxative agent or a diuretic.

Century Plant As a Food

As a food item the stalk of the flower and the heart can be eaten after roasting. It has a sweet flavor. Seed can be a bread flour after grinding. An alcoholic drink named Pulque can be made from the sap after fermenting. There is agave sweetener as well.

The Century plant is a historically significant succulent that works well in a multitude of landscape arrangements. While large, it is definitely a focal point in Southwestern yards.

Sources:

Floridata: Agave Americana

University of Arizona: Agave Americana