Agave americana L.

The Century Plant or the American Century Plant (Agave americana) is an agave originally from Mexico but cultivated worldwide.

It has a spreading rosette (up to 9 m wide) of gray-green leaves up to 2 meters (6 ft) long, each with a spiny margin and a heavy spike at the tip. Its common name derives from its habit of only occasionally flowering, but when it does, the spike with a cyme of big yellow flowers, may reach up to 8 meters (25 ft) in height. The plant dies after flowering. The average life-span is around 25 years.

Cultivated varieties include the 'Marginata' with yellow stripes along the margins of each leaf, 'Mediopicta' with a central light band, and 'Striata' with multiple stripes along the leaves.

It is also known as the American aloe, although it is not related to the true aloes.

Subspecies

• • Agave americana var. americana
  • Agave americana var. expansa
  • Agave americana var. latifolia
  • Agave americana var. marginata
  • Agave americana var. medio-picta
  • Agave americana var. oaxacensis
  • Agave americana ssp. protamericana
  • Agave americana var. striata