About Agave americana L.
Agave americana L., commonly called the century plant, gets this common name from its monocarpic life cycle: it flowers only once at the end of its long life, then dies after flowering. Before dying, the plant produces adventitious shoots from its base that allow the population to continue growing. Despite being called the century plant, it typically only lives 10 to 30 years. Mature plants reach a spread of 1.8–3.0 m (6–10 ft), and have gray-green leaves 0.9–1.5 m (3–5 ft) long. Each leaf has a prickly margin and a heavy sharp spike at the tip that can pierce deeply. Towards the end of its life, the plant produces a tall, branched stalk that reaches 8–9 m (25–30 ft) in height, covered in yellow blossoms. Agave americana is cultivated as an ornamental plant, and is especially valued for its large, dramatic mature form. It is commonly grown in modernist gardens, xeriscapes (drought-tolerant gardens), and desert-style cactus gardens. It is a popular landscaping choice in hot climates and areas prone to drought. Growing this plant can bring the ambiance of 18th- to 19th-century Spanish colonial and Mexican provincial areas to landscapes in the Southwestern United States, California, and xeric regions of Mexico. It is also a favored landscaping option for dry beach gardens in Florida and coastal areas of the Southeastern United States. When grown as a houseplant, Agave americana tolerates light levels ranging from direct sunlight to shade, and requires very little watering. It has a winter resting period that occurs at temperatures around 10 to 12 °C (50 to 54 °F). It grows best in highly porous, sandy potting soil, should be allowed to dry out completely between waterings, and needs to be repotted annually each spring. Agave americana contains agavose, a sugar isomeric to sucrose (C₁₂H₂₂O₁₁) that has a lower sweetening power than sucrose. It also contains agavasaponins and agavosides. This species is used in traditional medicine to treat a range of ailments, and is used as a laxative, diuretic, and diaphoretic. However, a systematic scientific review of existing research literature did not find sufficient data to confirm that it is effective or safe for these uses. Importantly, Agave americana can cause severe allergic dermatitis.
