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| Category: Succulent |
| Family: Agavaceae (now Asparagaceae) |
| Origin: Southwest (U.S.) (North America) |
| Evergreen: Yes |
| Flower Color: Yellow |
| Bloomtime: Spring |
| Synonyms: [A.parryi var. neomexicana] |
| Height: 1-2 feet |
| Width: 2-3 feet |
| Exposure: Full Sun |
| Irrigation (H2O Info): No Irrigation required |
| Winter Hardiness: < 0 °F |
| May be Poisonous (More Info): Yes |
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Agave neomexicana (Mescal/ New Mexico Agave) - A medium size plant with neat symmetrical rosettes to 1 1/2 to 2 feet tall by 2 1/2 feet wide with triangular shaped gray to gray-green leaves that are armed above mid-blade with brown to gray straight marginal spines and a stout 1 inch long reddish brown terminal spine. This plant can remain somewhat solitary but often suckers to form small colonies. When the plant is mature, which takes 15 years or more, the yellow flowers emerge from reddish buds on 12 to 15 foot tall stalks - flowering for this species occurs in spring while Agave gracilipes, a similar species that grows sympatrically, flowers in the fall. Plant in full sun in a well-drained soil and irrigate little if at all. This plant is one of the cold hardiest of the Agave, tolerating temperatures to around -20F. Though often called The New Mexico Agave it occurs on rocky limestone slopes and grasslands in Texas just south of the New Mexico border and in southeastern New Mexico. This plant resembles Agave parryi but with narrower leavers. This plant was called Mescal in association with the Mescalero tribe of the Native American Apache who roasted and ate the plant. We grew this plant from 2007 until 2009.
This information about Agave neomexicana displayed is based on research conducted in our horticultural library and from reliable online resources. We also will relate observations made about it as it grows in our nursery gardens and other gardens we have visited, as well how the crops have performed in containers in our nursery field. We will also incorporate comments that we receive from others and we welcome hearing from anyone with additional information, particularly if they can share any cultural information that would aid others in growing it.
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