Plant · GBIF taxon 2767031
Century Plant
Agave americanaAlso known as Maguey, American Aloe
Century plants spend decades as massive, slow-growing rosettes of thick blue-green leaves lined with sharp prickles. At the end of its life, the plant produces a massive flowering stalk that shoots up over eight meters tall in just a few weeks. After blooming and setting seed, the primary rosette dies, leaving behind cloned offset pups around its base to continue the cycle.
SucculentFloweringDrought-Tolerant
—observations
—countries
—peak records
Not EvaluatedConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXNot Evaluated — not placed on the risk ladderRed List categories, explained →
Diet & prey
- Autotrophic (Photosynthetic)
Predators
- Agave Snout Weevil
- Browsing Livestock
- Rodents
ThreatsHabitat Loss, Agave Snout Weevil Infestation
HabitatsArid Scrublands, Deserts, Rocky Slopes, Coastal Dunes
Life span10–30 years
Size / weightNot available
Classification
- OrderAsparagales
- FamilyAsparagaceae
- GenusAgave
- SpeciesAgave americana
Range data is not available yet.
Interaction riskHigh
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
- Why interaction risk is high
- Sap contains irritating oxalate crystals; wear gloves and avoid contact with cut leaves.
- Why it is dangerous
- Sap contains calcium oxalate raphe crystals and saponins that cause painful skin irritation, rashes, and blistering upon contact.
- How to recognize a risky encounter
- Recognized by massive blue-green leaves with hooked marginal spines and a dark, rigid terminal spine.
- What to do
- Avoid touching cut or crushed foliage, and wear thick protective gear when pruning or moving plants.
Responsible observation
- Sap Caution: Wear heavy gloves and eye protection when trimming leaves to prevent contact with irritant sap.
- Safe Placement: Position away from high-traffic footpaths due to the needle-sharp terminal spines.
Related Succulent (c) Conway Hawn, some rights reserved (CC BY) · cc-by
Close Relative (c) Stan Shebs, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA) · cc-by-sa
Close Relative H. Zell / CC BY-SA 3.0 · cc-by-sa
Close Relative (c) Andrew Toskin, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA) · cc-by-sa
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