Various types of agave are very popular as indoor plant due to its decorative appearance and unpretentiousness to living conditions. American agave is no exception, care for which at home is based on providing a “desert” climate with maximum illumination and appropriate temperature conditions.

This one is alive room decoration came to us from the arid mountains of Mexico. The agave americana flower is found in the harsh continental climate of North America, Asia, and the countries of Southern Europe. Today, more than 300 species of this succulent are known, which differ in size and color (from bluish-grayish to light green, plain or with yellow stripes).

The Agave americana flower is found in the harsh continental climates of North America, Asia, and Southern Europe.

In structure it is a rosette of thick, fleshy leaves collected on a very shortened or undeveloped stem. Some species are endowed with sharp, slightly curved spines or denticles located along the edges of the leaf. As for size, in nature this perennial can reach even five meters in height, and mature plant dwarf species do not exceed 3 centimeters. Life cycle Agave is long, it grows slowly, and produces flower stalks only once, less often twice every twenty years. Usually, after flowering, the mother bush dies, continuing its life in layering.

American agave prefers southern or southeastern windowsills

The success of growing any plant at home lies in the ability to create the necessary conditions, which should be as close as possible to natural ones. Only when your flower feels “at home” will it develop beautifully and delight you with a healthy appearance. Therefore, let’s figure out how to care for agave.

• Illumination

For cacti and succulents, direct sunlight is vital. American agave prefers southern or southeastern windowsills with intense, bright light. Even in the hot summer, the scorching rays of the sun cannot harm this desert flower and, unlike other indoor plants, it does not need protective shading at this time.

On the contrary, in partial shade or on northern windows, succulents gradually wither, which is not immediately noticeable. If the plant arrived in such conditions, you should not immediately expose it to the sun - it gradually accustoms it to light.

The American agave, like other indoor plants, has a hard time withstanding the short winter daylight hours, so in the summer it is planted in open ground or in full warm season taken out to the balcony.

• Priming

Remembering the botanical homeland of agave with poor sandy and rocky soils, you need to prepare the appropriate soil mixture at home. The optimal ratio will be turf, leaf soil and coarse sand. Flower growers also recommend adding large brick chips, which will enhance the drainage property of the substrate.

As a container for succulents, choose wide ceramic pots with holes in the bottom and a 2-3 cm layer of drainage - small pebbles, gravel. When replanting, it is important not to bury the root collar, but to leave it above the soil surface. The soil around is not compacted with fingers, so as not to limit the access of oxygen to the roots, and the rosette is fixed by placing stones around it. After planting, the remaining surface is covered with sand, fine gravel, shells or vermiculite. This shelter protects the root system from possible temperature changes due to its low thermal conductivity.

• Temperature

By its nature, American agave loves heat, so it thrives in rooms where the temperature does not fall below 18⁰C, but is considered optimal in the range of 22-28⁰C and even higher. A drop to 10⁰C can be disastrous, so in winter at home, plants need to be protected from the flow of cold air from the window glass.

• Humidity

Like other desert plant, agave needs very moderate watering. Starting from spring and until the end of the growing season, it is enough to water 1-2 times every ten days, waiting for the top layer of soil to dry. Starting from mid-autumn and winter, watering is gradually reduced to once a month.

The advantage of succulents over other indoor plants is that they perfectly tolerate the dry air of city apartments or offices. Not only is misting the agave not necessary, but it can also cause rot if water gets into the center of the rosette.

• Fertilizers

American agave is replanted no more than once every three to four years, and given its slow development, during this period nutrients contained in the soil is enough for her. For mineral fertilizing They use special concentrates designed for cacti and succulents, which usually do not contain organic matter and nitrogen. Fertilizers are applied when watering 1-2 times a month only in spring and summer.

• Diseases and pests

The plant is rarely affected by diseases and their causes, as a rule, are improper care or bad conditions content. And among pests, agave is most often affected by scale insects or thrips. In the initial stages of infection effective method The best way to combat this is by wiping the leaves with an alcohol or beer solution. If necessary, it is recommended to use chemicals.

Video about growing and care

Reproduction methods

Agave reproduces in two ways - seeds and shoots. The first option is quite labor-intensive and long-developing seedlings will not soon produce a full-fledged beautiful rosette. At home it is much more practical and faster to get young plant from the trunk shoot. To do this, carefully separate the shoot from the plant and leave it in the air for 3-4 hours so that a transparent crust forms on the wound. Then the cut area is powdered wood ash and fixed with pebbles on a slightly damp sandy substrate. At favorable conditions the roots appear quite quickly, after which the rosettes are transplanted into pots.

Indoor agave, with its decorative appearance, brings exotic notes to the interior, both as a single plant and in flower arrangements.

Agave is a large monocotyledonous plant of the Asparagus family. From a greatly shortened stem grows a rosette with elongated, gray-green, fleshy leaves, which, depending on the species, are framed with spines.

general description

Many people dream of seeing agave bloom. But Agave blooms only in the sixth year, or even later. During this period, the plant throws out an unusual peduncle, the height of which sometimes reaches 12 m; it can contain up to 17 thousand yellow flowers. In most cases, the above-ground part of the agave dies off completely immediately after the fruits ripen.

In the wild, the evergreen desert agave is found only in Mexico and Central America. However, due to its beauty and number healing properties was spread by humans throughout the world. It has taken root not only in the tropics or subtropics, but also in countries located much further north, the cold climate of which suggested its cultivation only at home or in warm greenhouses.

Europeans became acquainted with this representative of the flora of the American continent around the middle of the 16th century. At least at this time it was mentioned in the records of P. Martyr, dating back to 1533.

Currently, in Mediterranean countries it is common to grow Agave americana as ornamental plant for landscaping streets and squares. On the territory of Russia it can be found in parks in the southern part of Crimea and on the Black Sea coast of the Caucasus.

In the last century, the Arizona agave was on the verge of extinction. There were no more than a hundred copies left. But soon everything returned to normal, and the population decline was stopped.

Agave species

More than three hundred species are known these plants. For many, it is unclear whether an agave cactus is or not. It's a succulent! They are mostly large, adapted to the harsh growing conditions in steppes and semi-deserts.

But among them there are also those that can be grown in indoor culture, their compactness and beneficial features make them real regulars on the windowsills of residents of various countries.

Agave blue or tequila

It, along with other species, is used to produce tequila, a Mexican alcoholic drink. It grows wild in western Mexico, at an altitude of one and a half kilometers above sea level, in the dry and hot climate characteristic of that area.

The length of the fleshy leaves can reach two meters. After just five years, the plant throws up a five-meter peduncle. Blooming on it yellow flowers pollinated at night by bats.

In the production of tequila, a domesticated species is used This plant has a lifespan of up to 14 years. In the state of Pulque, special areas are allocated for this - potreros. To obtain juice, only the core of eight-year-old plants is used, otherwise the fermentation process will not begin. A special agrotechnical technique plays a significant role in this - the regrown shoot is broken out and planted separately, and the agave continues to grow.

In this species, up to 30 hard and fleshy leaves covered with a coating of wax can be collected in a basal rosette. Their length, under proper conditions, can reach two meters, and the width at the base up to 25 cm. Some forms have central yellow or white stripes on the leaves.

In fifteen-year-old plants, flowering occurs, which can last up to three weeks and fruiting, after which the agave dies. Flowers American agave large, up to 10 cm long. The plant is very light-loving, does not tolerate waterlogging. Agave American yellow-edged has an even shorter stem. There are sharp spines on the tops of the leaves. In accordance with the name, its leaves are bordered with yellowish stripes, which is why the whole plant looks very decorative.

Agave American versicolor is much smaller in size, more compact, and easy to grow at home in a large pot. Distinctive feature This species is considered to have brightly colored leaves - their middle is yellow, the edges are green, and the spines are small. It is unpretentious, you don’t even need to water it in winter, you just need to spray it periodically.

The striped agave has a different color distribution - the leaves are green in the central part and yellow at the edges. Their apical spines are approximately 0.8 cm long. Unfortunately, this species is not suitable for cultivation in small apartments, sharp spines and dense, upward-growing leaves, reaching 70 cm, can be dangerous for children or pets.

Agave Attenuata Salm-Dyck

Agave retinata has a powerful stem reaching a diameter of 15 cm. It can grow up to 1.5 m, be both erect and drooping. At its top there is a rosette with 20 or more smooth-edged, bluish leaves, up to 70 cm long. The stem of the inflorescence can stretch up to 3 m, the flowers are yellow, with a greenish tint.

One of the states of Mexico, Puebla, is considered the birthplace of this plant. Unlike other species, as it grows, it begins to branch. It develops multi-leaf, spherical rosettes.

The leaves themselves are curved, very pointed at the ends, with spines. On the inside you can find the keel. Very beautiful plant, looks especially good with a two-meter peduncle.

Queen Victoria Agave

Many gardeners grow this species at home, because the diameter of the entire plant does not exceed 60 cm. Each of the leaves is no more than 15 cm in length, and their width is 5-7 cm.

The leaves are very decorative, dark green in color, with lighter oblique lines across the entire surface. On back side there is a keel with a horny line, and at the ends there are several spines, among which one, the longest, stands out.

This plant is quite unusual, since it is quite good conditions begins to actively grow and form turf. It is quite small, with narrow leathery green leaves, which are decorated with a lighter border and unusual white threads. There are spines up to 1 cm in size on the tops of the leaves. It also looks like filamentous agave.

Agave parasica

Very compact appearance, bush diameter no more than 60 cm. Won very popular among succulent lovers. How home flower Agave has spread throughout the world.

Wide wax leaves, ovoid in shape and bluish in color, ending in brown spines.

Agave brown-yellow

Despite the fact that the plant differs from other species in having a short stem, this does not affect its decorative properties. On the contrary, diameter large plant about two meters, and the leaves can grow up to 120 cm - thanks to this it looks great in flower beds and in special vases.

But you need to take care of it with some caution - there are spines on all the edges of the leaves, and real thorns on the tops.

The size of the rosette of this succulent rarely reaches 50 cm. Most often plant diameter no more than 25 cm. The leaves have a spatulate shape with a toothed, more light edge. They are about 10 cm wide, and a dark-colored spine grows at the end of each.

When looking at this species, you can understand what the name of the plant is associated with. Indeed, she looks quite intimidating. The strong, serrated edges of the leaves have a horny edge. And although the length of the leaves is no more than 40 cm, the succulent grows a flower stalk of about four meters.

This slow-growing, stemless agave is a real beauty. The plant is quite undemanding to soil quality. Over the years, it forms a large rosette, the size of which can reach up to 2 m. The leaves are long, with a waxy coating and thorns along the entire edge. The color is greenish-blue. Some species may have lighter threads. The height of the peduncle can reach up to 10 m. After the seeds ripen, the plant dies, but a lot of root shoots remain after it.

Care

Agave grows well at home. These are excellent indoor plants, among them Agave marginata, felifera, and Agave Vilmorin stand out for their beauty. Almost all types are quite unpretentious. In spring and summer, with strong sunlight do not require shading.

Attention! If there was not enough light all winter, these succulents need to be accustomed to its abundance gradually, this is especially true for young plants. Right choice places in this case can significantly improve their health.

In winter, it is better to move succulents to a cool but bright room and reduce watering. Preferred temperature for them at this time 4–10 °C. If desired, plants can be illuminated or even kept completely on artificial lighting(16 hours a day).

Carefully! Watering must be taken extremely seriously. You can’t “flood” plants, but it’s not recommended to leave them on dry rations either. In summer, watering should be regular, but extremely moderate. In winter, the mode depends on the average room temperature. If the house is warm, water 2-3 times a week. If it is around 10°C, it is recommended to water no more than once a week.

Feeding is done in summer period, once every three weeks with appropriate fertilizers.

Replant in a soil mixture consisting of 1 part leaf soil, 3 clay-turf, and one sand.

Adult plants are replanted once every two to three years.

Young every year.

As a rule, there are no difficulties with their reproduction. They are easy grow from seeds, collected in natural conditions in February or March, and seedlings appear quite quickly - within a week. Freshly harvested cuttings are suitable, dried for 2 hours and offspring.

Possible problems when growing agaves are gray mold disease and root rotting if the watering regime is incorrectly chosen. The agave plant is damaged by scale insects and mealybugs.

In this video, be sure to admire the beautiful collection of variegated agaves and listen to expert advice on caring for them:

Beneficial features

In Mexico, agave is very popular and is eaten with pleasure. When processed, ropes are woven from the resulting fibers and various fabrics are made.

The pulp of the leaves is used in making soap. ethnoscience recommends using agave juice as a laxative and diuretic.

Agave leaves are used to treat bruises and reduce bruising. The plant is indispensable in the fight against insects.

Most of us grow indoor plants for their appearance, luxurious foliage or beautiful flowers. But many such crops can bring other benefits to a person and his home. Thus, a significant number of indoor plants have a beneficial effect on the air in the room, healing it, clearing it of various pathological particles and also saturating it with special natural elements that have a positive effect on health. There are also certain crops that, due to their properties, can replace home first aid kit. One such plant is agave.

Agave is a perennial and succulent, so it shares characteristics with the cactus as well as aloe. This crop has practically no stem, or it is quite poorly visible. The spectacular leaves of the plant are collected in a rosette and have a fairly large size, as well as a high degree of density and even hardness. Regardless of the type of agave, its foliage has a number of protective devices, which can take the form of thorns or thorns. The color of the leaves may differ, ranging from the usual green to bluish. They have a fairly thick layer of natural wax on them, which protects these organs from moisture.

How is agave grown? Home care

Agave is a rather unpretentious crop. Anyone can easily grow it on their windowsill, as this plant is drought-resistant and has little need for soil. However, you need to remember some conditions for its cultivation.

So this succulent likes to be in conditions of intense sunlight, without shading. Therefore, the plant will feel best on a south window. During cold weather, it is especially important to place the pot on the sunny side of your home.

Agave is quite tolerant of temperature changes. So in the summer, you can easily take it out onto the balcony, or systematically ventilate the room. In cold weather, you need to control that the temperature does not drop below four degrees.

If we talk about air humidity, then this crop is not at all demanding on such readings. She feels fine in a fairly dry room and does not require additional measures for air humidification.

For cooking optimal soil To grow agave, it is worth combining clay-turf and leaf soil, as well as coarse river sand, maintaining a 3:1:1 ratio. To increase the fertility of the soil, as well as disinfect it, you can mix charcoal, lime, and bone meal into the prepared mixture.

This crop requires moderate watering in the summer and especially moderate in the cold season. The soil in the pot should not dry out completely. From time to time you can feed the agave complex fertilizers, the same ones intended for succulents.

Why is agave valued? Benefits of the plant

Agave has many different beneficial qualities. So its juice has quite strong laxative and diuretic properties, in addition, it is an excellent antiseptic and can have a wound-healing effect.

Experts say that this culture, or rather its root, is an excellent source of mucus that can save a person from many dental or sexually transmitted ailments. The pulp from agave leaves is actively used in the manufacture of various home cosmetics, as well as in soap making.

Thus, American agave leaves can be used to prepare an excellent remedy for rheumatic pain. For this purpose, you need to collect several fresh leaves of the plant and chop them finely. Place the prepared plant material inside a glass container and fill it with vodka or alcohol (fifty to seventy percent), maintaining a ratio of 1:10. Cover the tincture tightly with a lid and place it in a fairly dark place to infuse for one week. The product must be prepared at room temperature, after which it must be strained and poured into a dark glass container. This composition should be used for rubbing for rheumatic pain.

Agave can also be used to prepare tinctures intended for internal consumption. In this case, fifty grams of crushed leaves must be combined with half a liter of vodka and infused in a fairly dark place for one week. The jar should be tightly covered with a lid.

The resulting tincture should be filtered and consumed ten to twenty drops two to three times a day. This medicine must be dissolved in fifty milliliters of water. It helps to cope with osteoporosis, spondylosis, as well as poor appetite after various complex ailments. The duration of treatment should be one month, after which you need to take a break for two to three weeks and, if necessary, repeat the course.

There are also agave-based recipes that are designed to treat problems with the digestive tract, liver ailments, coughs, ascites and pulmonary tuberculosis.

To whom is agave dangerous? Harm to the plant

Agave-based medicines are contraindicated for those who are planning to have a baby in the near future. Such drugs should also not be taken by pregnant and nursing mothers, and children. Such treatment should be carried out with extreme caution if you suffer from cystitis, liver disease and bleeding. In addition, it is worth considering that agave can cause various allergic reactions.

The spring months are best for planting agave.. Agave needs fresh air and plenty of sunlight to establish itself in the soil and grow vigorously.

The soil from the flower shop is not suitable for the long-term existence of the plant, so immediately after purchase you should address the issue of replanting.

Soil selection

In the wild, agaves are accustomed to sandy and sandy-rocky soil. You can buy special soil for succulents (yucca, dracaena, palm trees) at a flower shop, or prepare it yourself. To do this you need to take:

• 3 parts clay-turf soil;
• 1 part leaf soil;
• 1 part river sand.

Experienced gardeners advise adding lime, charcoal and bone meal to the sand, which are necessary to disinfect the soil and increase fertility.

How to grow at home?

There are several ways to propagate agave:

• seeds;
• cuttings of rhizomes;
• kids.

So, how to grow this plant in different ways?

From seeds

Sowing

When grown from seeds, the germination rate of agaves is higher, despite the fact that plants grow longer and the process itself is quite labor-intensive. The shelves of flower shops offer a wide range of seeds, but from mixtures various types It's better to refuse because they may need different conditions for growth.

Agave seeds are usually black and flat. Most often, the size is proportional to the size of the already grown, mature plant. The smallest are no more than 2 mm in diameter, the largest are more than a centimeter.

Should be sown in early spring into the soil to a depth of 0.5-1 cm. To make sure that the planting substrate is free of fungal spores, weed seeds and pests, it must be calcined: hold for 20-30 minutes at a temperature of 60 degrees. Then sift.

For sowing large quantity For seeds of one type, a large shallow container will do. If desired, glass or plastic partitions can be placed inside it. The finished substrate is poured into pots or containers for planting, placed on a tray with water and held until the soil absorbs moisture.

Before planting, seeds can be pre-soaked in prophylactic (for example, Fitosporin) or in a stimulant. This will help suppress possible bacterial and fungal diseases.

Large seeds should be spread evenly on the surface, and small ones should be carefully poured out. Then they are sprayed with warm filtered water from a spray bottle and sprinkled with sand.

Sand should be of medium size: too coarse can burn small plants, and fine sand can cement the surface and make it difficult for sprouts to sprout.

Conditions

• The optimal temperature for germinating most seeds is 20 degrees at night and 25-30 during the day. A drop in temperature at night has a beneficial effect, as it replicates the changes in natural conditions.
• For baby sprouts, the balance of heat and light is very important, otherwise they will not survive. They should be protected from direct sunlight with a transparent mesh. If there is a shortage natural light organize artificial lighting; if there is a lack of heat, a microgreenhouse. You can use batteries or build automatic heating with a timer. The room needs to be ventilated more often, and the container (microgreenhouse) should be opened at least twice a day. Monitoring the condition of the plants is necessary.
• Humidity should be kept moderate and the absence of mold and pests monitored. Tiny midges can ruin all your work if their appearance is missed and action is not taken in time.

The first leaf will appear in about 15-20 days, and this is probably the most favorite stage for flower growers. In two weeks, the leaves stretch up to 8 centimeters in length, and a rosette begins to form simultaneously with the appearance of the fourth leaf. 20 days after 4, the 5th leaf appears, and so the whole plant gradually forms.

Transfer

Slow-growing agaves will need to be replanted after a year, fast-growing ones - after a few months.

It will be useful to label all the pots by sticking a label on each: what is it called? this type seeds, their quantity, supplier's name and all known information. This will help in the future not to confuse the plants: many agaves in the first year of growth are very similar to each other.

After a year, the agave needs to be transplanted into a pot 3-4 centimeters larger, and in subsequent years, replanting is required every 2-3 years.

Leaf propagation

By propagating by leaf, agave grows faster and comes to flowering:

Growing conditions:

• The temperature should be + 21-24 degrees.
• Watering until complete rooting is moderate.
• There is no need to cover the pot.

Leaves begin to sprout after a few weeks.

Children

When propagated by children, the new plant will develop a powerful root system, but the old plant will no longer be able to grow. When propagating by children in agave:

1. The suckers formed at the base of the trunk are separated with an obligatory node on each branch.
2. The cut pieces are sprinkled with charcoal powder and dried for 4-5 hours.
3. Planted in moist soil.

Growing conditions:

• Grown at + 20 C open ground.
• The first watering will be organized after three days. Watering should be done very carefully, in a thin stream, so as not to wash away the soil mixture.
• Do not spray or cover with glass.

Agave babies take root at any time of the year. After planting, agave requires plenty of moisture only in the first week. Young plants need light shading from excessively bright sunlight.

What to do if it doesn’t take root?

Like any plant, agave needs time to adapt to new soil and location. It takes several weeks for the sprouts to take root.. If, after this period, something is clearly wrong with the plant, then there may be several reasons:

• the roots and leaves of the plant were damaged during transplantation;
• The agave could have frozen; it is affected by the lack of heat.

You can try watering the soil with water with a diluted spoon of honey (1 tablespoon per 5 liters of water). Honey is a root formation stimulator. The plant needs to be inspected for rot and pests, checked to see if the roots are flooded, and if necessary, replanted.

Basic rules of care

Peculiarities

• In regions with mild winters, agave is often grown outdoors, but in regions with cold winters it is often grown in pots or containers. In the fall, when the temperature drops, they are brought into a cool, bright room for “wintering” and there they are cared for according to general rules.
• The growing area should be sandy or sandy loam, dry and with good drainage.
• Agave growing in open ground requires less water than growing in a container.

Diseases and pests

Preventing the development of diseases in agaves is not so difficult:

• carefully care for the plant, observing general recommendations watering and fertilizing;
• ventilate the room;
• drain stagnant water from the pan;
• do not use old soil and drainage.

A purchased new plant should be set aside from other flowers for several weeks and your green pets should be regularly inspected.

Conclusion

Agave will fit well into any apartment: This unpretentious plant can delight its owner for a long time in combination with other succulents or any other flowers. With its elegant appearance, it is perfect for decorating office compositions, greenhouse flower beds and winter gardens. In gratitude for your care, give not only joy to the eyes, but also practical benefits.

The agave plant is extremely heat-loving, natural environment habitat it grows only in sunny areas. Therefore, when growing agave at home, there is no need to shade it - it feels great even under the scorching rays of the sun on southern windowsills. When caring for agave, you need to act very carefully: its juice has an allergic effect.

Origin of the agave plant

Agave (Agave) belongs to the Asparagus family.

Other names: Century plant - centennial plant (agagave), american aloe - American aloe, american sisal - American sisal.

The origin of the agave plant is Mexico, Central America, the USA and the Caribbean islands.

The popular popular name agave was given to agave for the misconception that it blooms once every hundred years. Agave is called American aloe for the external similarity of these plants, as well as for the same widespread use of agaves on the American continent as aloe in the Old World.

In ancient Mexico, agave played a leading role in economic life, culture, and even religion. The well-being of the Aztecs depended on the harvest of agaves. In their legends, the goddess Maguey, i.e. agave, protected pregnant women from turning into wild animals. To do this, it was necessary to place the leaves of the miraculous agave on the pregnant woman’s face for a certain time.

This plant is so common in Mexico that the country got its name from the agave - “place of the agave.”

In Mexico, agave plantations are cultivated where the plant is not allowed to bloom. When a young bud becomes noticeable in the middle of the rosette, it is cut out. In the resulting hole, sweet juice collects, which should have been used to form the stem, flowers and fruits.

This juice contains 10% sugars and is called aquamiel in Spanish, which means “sweet water” or “honey water”. This juice is scooped out 3 times a day. The plant is able to secrete juice for 8 - 10 months, until the leaves completely dry out. Over the entire period, up to 1000 liters of juice can be collected from just one plant.

Agave reduces the number of pathogens in the air by 69%, as well as fungal spores.

The sap of the plant has an allergic effect and can also cause contact dermatitis. In the scientific literature, there are cases of purple dermatitis, similar to purple vasculitis, appearing on people’s legs a few hours after filing large plants agave americana, i.e. due to contact of agave juice with the skin. Damage to small blood vessels occurs due to exposure to calcium oxalate crystals and saponins. Treatment is carried out by taking antihistamines and applying salt compresses to the affected areas. Systemic symptoms disappear within 24 hours, and after 7-10 days, skin manifestations also decrease.

What does agave look like and how does it bloom (with photo)

Perennial decorative-leaved succulent plant with a powerful rosette consisting of twenty to thirty thick fleshy linear-lanceolate leaves 1–1.5 m long, and sometimes up to 2 m and up to 25 cm wide, tapering towards the apex, gray-green or light gray , along the edges in spikes, curved at the apex, brown: the upper part of the leaf is curved almost arc-shaped, and the apex with a spike up to 3 cm long. The color of the leaves can be bluish, green, with various stripes.

Typically, agave has a small trunk and leaves collected in a basal rosette. Description indoor flower agave is a complete repetition of the wild form, only in miniature.

These photos show what agave looks like:

The plant develops quite quickly. The leaves sometimes reach three meters in length. Moreover, they are so strong that it is difficult to bend them, since the peel is very hard. The edges of the leaves are covered with thorns, and the tips are pointed in the form of a long, sharp needle, which in ancient times was used for sewing products from thick fabrics.

How does agave bloom in its natural habitat? In the 10th year, the plant grows a huge stem 12 m high. This is an amazing peduncle that grows almost before our eyes. It can grow 3–5 cm in a day. At the top there is a giant inflorescence that resembles a brush of 3 thousand yellowish, lily-like flowers. This inflorescence, which attracts many bees, blooms for a month.

The inflorescence is a large, five to eight meters long, branching panicle. The flowers are large, seven to nine cm long. Forms root suckers. It blooms at the end of May for two to three weeks. The seeds ripen in November. The plant dies after fruiting; When the growth cone is damaged, shoots often develop from the lower axillary buds.

After flowering, the plant, having given all its strength to future offspring, dies. After flowering, the leaves become wrinkled and the plant completely loses its appearance. However, a dying rosette gives rise to a young plant at the very root collar, which continues the life of this plant further.

An unpretentious, bright, attractive plant. Develops slowly.

At home, in natural conditions, agave blooms once every 10–15 years; in open ground cultivation – once every 12–15 years; in tub culture - once every 20–30 years. It blooms at the end of May for a short time - 2-3 weeks. The seeds ripen in November. After fruiting the plant dies. Offshoots develop from the lower axillary buds.

IN room conditions rarely blooms.

Below are photos and names of agave species.

Types of agave plants: photos, names and descriptions

Marginata – leaves with golden-yellow or whitish-yellow edges; Mediopicta – leaves with a yellow stripe in the middle; Striata - leaves are grayish-green, with yellowish-white stripes in the middle.

The most popular types of agave are:

A. American ‘Marginata’ (A. americana marginata)- leaves are green with yellow edges.

A. American ‘Mediopicta’ (A. americana ‘Mediopicta’)- leaves are cream with green edges.

A. Queen Victoria (A. victoriae-reginae)- leaves are dark green with a white border, at the ends of which there are black spines.

A. filiform (A. fdifera)- the leaves are raised up, the plant is compact, there are thin threads at the ends of the leaves.

A. drawn out (A. attenuate).

A. striped (A. striata).

A. gray (A. perrine).

A. sisal (A. sisalana).

A. narrow-leaved ‘Marginata’ (A. angustifolia ‘Marginata’).

A. frightening (A. ferox).

A. Franzosini (A. franzosinii).

A. bright red (A. coccinea).

Dwarf forms or young plants are grown indoors.

Look at the photos of the agave flower species described above:

How to grow agave at home: how to care for and how to propagate the plant

Location.Sun-loving plant for southern windowsills. It tolerates direct sunlight well, so it is better to grow it in southern, southwestern and southeastern windows. When caring for agave at home, the plant does not need shading.

Temperature. During the autumn-winter period it can be kept at moderate temperatures. warm temperature+10–12°C. In winter it must be kept at a temperature of 4-10 °C. To grow agave as strong as possible, it is recommended to place the plant in the sun during the summer. Tolerates drafts.

The soil. The substrate for agave is made up of turf and leaf soil, humus and sand (2: 1: 1: 0.5). You can use store bought earth mixture for succulents.

Watering. Watering is regular in the warm season, very moderate in winter. In spring and summer, water abundantly as the soil dries; in autumn and winter, water rarely, once a month.

Excess water and fertilizers negatively affect plant development.

Feeding. Regular feeding is no more than once a month. Additional is carried out during the growth period, in spring and summer, with complex mineral fertilizers in quantities reduced by 2 times compared to recommendations.

Transfer. Replant as needed. In spring, plants are transferred to larger pots once every 2–3 years. Agaves grow well in large pots and tubs, and even better - in the ground winter garden, with good drainage. When landing on permanent place The plant should be planted shallow - the neck of the plant should be slightly above the soil level. Good drainage is essential.

Pests and diseases. Pests and diseases rarely appear on agave indoors. Rooting of the root system is possible when agave is planted in depth, using a heavy and poorly drained soil mixture, and frequent watering in winter.

Reproduction. There are three ways to propagate agave at home: seeds, cuttings and layering.

Agaves are easily propagated by seeds. Seeds are sown in February-March to a depth of 0.5–1 cm. At a temperature of +20–25° C, the seeds germinate within 5–7 days. A rosette of 4 leaves is formed approximately 2.5–3 months after the appearance of the first leaf.

Agaves also reproduce, like most succulents, by suckers formed at the base of the trunk, by separating them, by cuttings of rhizomes from a shortened trunk; There should be one knot on each separated piece. The cut pieces are dried for 2–3 hours, and then sprinkled with charcoal powder and planted in sand or perlite for rooting at a temperature of +20 °C. The separated offspring are planted in pots. After planting, the plants are watered only after 2–3 days.

You can see how to grow agave in the video below: