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| Category: Succulent |
| Family: Agavaceae (Agaves) |
| Origin: Mexico (North America) |
| Evergreen: Yes |
| Flower Color: Green |
| Bloomtime: Infrequent |
| Height: 4-5 feet |
| Width: 4-5 feet |
| Exposure: Full Sun |
| Irrigation (H2O Info): Low Water Needs |
| Winter Hardiness: 25-30° F |
| May be Poisonous (More Info): Yes |
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Agave tequilana (Weber's Blue Agave) A fast growing agave that grows to 5 feet tall and wide with 3 to 4 foot long narrow leaves of a beautiful shade of blue gray and brown sharp terminal spine and margin teeth. It sends out pumps, both near the plants base and several feet away on rhizomes so give this plant some room. Plant in full sun in a well drained soil and irrigate very little. This plant needs to be grown where temperatures do not drop below 25°F or even below 27°F for extended periods so it is likely limited to southern California coastal areas or the low desert. This is the plant used in the Jalisco, Mexico as the base ingredient of the distilled spirit called Tequila where it has been cultivated since before the Spanish arrived. Other products derived from this plant include aguamiel and pulque. It is considered a domesticated species without any wild populations known to exist. In Jalisco this plant is grown in well drained soils at moderate altitudes of 4,500 feet or higher. And the plant is commonly called Tequila Agave or Weber's Blue Agave. We believe the name Agave tequilana was given to this plant by German botanist Franz Weber, who was classifying Mexican flora in the late 1890's and described Agave tequilana in 1902 in the French Publication “Bulletin du Muséum d'histoire naturelle” (8:220, Paris, 1902). Some early records state that this plant was described by Strasbourg born botanist Frédéric Albert Constantin (or F.A.C.) Weber and he is still credited in some modern listings as the author of this species, but this may be in error. F.A.C. Weber was part of a French military expedition to Mexico in the mid 1860's and he did describe plants from this trip but it is not clear that Agave tequilana was one of them. This plant is similar to the closely related and widespread plant, Agave angustifolia, but Agave tequilana is generally thought to be more robust habit with thicker longer leaves stems and flower panicles. Howard Gentry noted that “Agaves of North America” that “these differences are of degree rather than of distinct contrast, their separation as a species is nominal” but further noted that “the commercial trade with this important economic plant will profit by the maintenance of a simple binomial”
The description above is based on our research and observations of this plant growing in our nursery, in our own garden and in other gardens in the Santa Barbara area. We would appreciate hearing from anyone who has additional information about this plant, even if they disagree with what we have written.
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