Agave attenuata

Last updated

Agave attenuata
Agave attenuata 001.JPG
200530 173 SD Botanic Gdn - Hamilton Children's Garden, Agave shawii x attenuata 'Blue Flame', Chamaerops humilis var argentea Silver Mediterranean Fan Palm, Graptopetalum paraguayense, Cotyledon orbiculata Pig's Ear.jpg
A. attenuata x A. shawii 'Blue Flame'
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Monocots
Order: Asparagales
Family: Asparagaceae
Subfamily: Agavoideae
Genus: Agave
Species:
A. attenuata
Binomial name
Agave attenuata
Salm-Dyck 1834
Synonyms [2]
  • Agave attenuata var. compactaJacobi
  • Agave attenuata var. latifoliaSalm-Dyck ex A.Terracc
  • Agave attenuata var. paucibracteataTrel.
  • Agave attenuata var. subdentataCels ex Carrière
  • Agave attenuata var. subundulataJacobi
  • Agave cernuaA. Berger
  • Agave debaryanaJacobi
  • Agave glaucescensHook.
  • Agave kellockiJacobi
  • Agave pruinosaLem. ex Jacobi
  • Ghiesbreghtia mollisRoezl. (invalid)

Agave attenuata, commonly called the foxtail or lion's tailagave or the swan's neck agave, is a species of flowering plant in the family Asparagaceae (the asparaguses, agaves and yuccas). Sometimes called the soft-leaf or soft-leaved agave, the aforementioned animal-related names are a nod to the appearance of the plant's inflorescence, which—after years, generally—rises slightly before gravity brings it back down, giving the bloom a curved, "swan"-like or "foxtail" look. The species' specific manner of flowering is unique in the genus Agave as most other species produce a towering, vertical display, reminiscent of a miniature tree. [3]

Contents

In addition to its inflorescence, when compared with other Agave species, A. attenuata is further unique with its soft, spineless leaves and the fact that it does not rapidly asexually produce dozens of "runners" or "pups" from the rhizome of the mother plant. These factors have helped A. attenuata earn a positive reputation amongst gardeners as easy-to-manage; the species has become extremely popular as an ornamental plant in appropriate climates and zones, especially the American Southwest, Latin America and the Mediterranean. [4]

Several unique forms and cultivars have been created and made available on the plant market, such as the white-variegated A. attenuata 'Variegata' and 'Ray of Light', or the teal-hued 'Boutin Blue'. The similarly teal-leaved 'Blue Flame' was achieved with the cross of Agave attenuata x Agave shawii. [5]

Description

Agave attenuata Pot 2250px.jpg

Although particularly young or smaller plants can appear acaulescent, stems often mature to between 50 and 150 cm (20–60 in) in length, with older, desiccated leaves falling off and leaving the woody stems visible. The leaves are ovate-acuminate, 50–70 cm (20–28 in) long and 12–16 cm (5–6 in) wide, pale in color, ranging from a light gray to a light yellowish-green. There are neither teeth, nor terminal spines, although the leaves taper to soft points that fray with age. The numerous, broad, succulent, tapering leaves are slightly less rigid than the leaves of most Agave species; they are a bright glaucous gray to light yellowish-green and stingless. [6]

The inflorescence is a dense raceme 2.5 to 3 meters (8 to 10 ft) high (usually curved), with greenish-yellow flowers, developing after many years. [7] As with other Agave species, the species is monocarpic, meaning that, rather than sending flowers out from the side of its stem and continuing living (like the succulent genera Crassula or Sedum , for example), the entire rosette morphs into the giant inflorescence. After many months, this blossom subsequently dies following pollination and seed development, although numerous plantlets consequently sprout, both from the base of the plant and from the flower raceme. In nature, when the inflorescence finally dries and falls to the ground, the young plants growing from it will inevitably root into the ground, thus forming a brand-new colony.

It has two subspecies:

Etymology

The Latin specific epithet attenuata means "with a narrow point". [10]

Range

Specimens were sent to Kew Gardens by the explorer Galeotti in 1834 from an unspecified location in central Mexico. A more recent study has reported it from Jalisco, on the west coast and east of Mexico State, in small colonies at elevations between 1,900 to 2,500 meters (6,200 to 8,200 ft), but there have been few sightings, suggesting this species is rare in the wild. [7] IUCN reports the species from the states of Colima, Durango, Guerrero, Jalisco, Michoacán, Nayarit and Mexico State, at altitudes between 400 and 2,500 meters (1,300 and 8,200 ft) on volcanic rock cliffs within pine forests and transitional zones of tropical dry and temperate forests types in mountains. [1] It is reportedly naturalized in Libya [11] [12] and Madeira [12] and is widely spread through the Mediterranean and the rest of Macaronesia.

Cultivation

Dry seed capsules and seeds - MHNT Agave attenuata MHNT.BOT.2009.7.9.jpg
Dry seed capsules and seeds - MHNT

In cultivation, Agave attenuata is said to prefer relatively moist loamy soil, although it can cope with poor soil and dry conditions. It should be protected from direct sunlight in summer and from long periods of frost. [13] It is hardy down to USDA Zone 9b. [14] [15]

Related Research Articles

<i>Agave parryi</i> Species of flowering plant

Agave parryi, known as Parry's agave or mescal agave, is a flowering plant in the family Asparagaceae, subfamily Agavoideae. It is a slow-growing succulent perennial native to Arizona, New Mexico, and northern Mexico.

<i>Leuchtenbergia</i> Genus of cacti

Leuchtenbergia is a genus of cactus which has only one species, Leuchtenbergia principis. It is native to north-central Mexico. The genus is named after Maximilian Eugen Joseph (1817–1852), Duke of Leuchtenberg and amateur botanist.

<i>Hoya carnosa</i> Species of plant

Hoya carnosa, the porcelainflower or wax plant, is a species of flowering plant in the dogbane family Apocynaceae. It is one of the many species of Hoya that are native to Eastern Asia. It is a common house plant grown for its attractive waxy foliage, and sweetly scented flowers. It is grown well in pots and hanging baskets.

<i>Gonialoe variegata</i> Species of flowering plant

Gonialoe variegata, also known as tiger aloe and partridge-breasted aloe, is a species of flowering plant in the family Asphodelaceae. It is an evergreen succulent perennial indigenous to South Africa and Namibia. It is common in cultivation.

<i>Aloe arborescens</i> Species of succulent

Aloe arborescens, the krantz aloe or candelabra aloe, is a species of flowering succulent perennial plant that belongs to the genus Aloe, which it shares with the well known and studied Aloe vera. The specific epithet arborescens means "tree-like". Aloe arborescens is valued by gardeners for its succulent green leaves, large vibrantly-colored flowers, winter blooming, and attraction for birds, bees, and butterflies.

<i>Agave mitis</i> Species of flowering plant

Agave mitis is a plant species native to the Mexican states of Hidalgo, Tamaulipas and San Luis Potosí, referred to as Agave celsii in many publications.

<i>Agave shawii</i> Species of succulent plant from North America

Agave shawii is a species of monocarpic succulent plant in the genus Agave, commonly known as Shaw's agave. It is a rosette-forming plant characterized by glossy, green leaves with toothed margins. After several years of slow growth, the plant puts all of its resources to produce a towering stalk of flowers, and then dies. The death of the flowering rosette is compensated by the growth of numerous clonal pups. This species is segregated into two subspecies, one native to the coast of southwestern California and northwestern Baja California, known commonly as the coast agave, and another native to the Baja California desert, known as the Goldman agave.

<i>Euphorbia misera</i> Species of flowering plant

Euphorbia misera is a semi-succulent shrub in the genus Euphorbia commonly known as the cliff spurge or coast spurge. A drought-deciduous shrub, it is typically found as a gnarled, straggly plant occupying seashore bluffs, hills and deserts. Like other members of its genus, it has a milky sap, which can be found exuding out of the light gray bark when damaged. The alternately-arranged leaves are round and folded in the middle, with small hairs on them. The "flowers" can be found blooming year-round, and are colored maroon or yellow in the center with 5 white to light-yellow petal-like appendages attached outside. This species is native to the Baja California peninsula and Sonora in Mexico, and the coast of southern California in the United States, where it is a rare species. It is threatened in some localities by the development of its coastal habitat, which tends to be prime locations for high-end residential and commercial developments.

<i>Agave salmiana</i> Species of flowering plant

Agave salmiana is a species of the family Asparagaceae, native to central and southern Mexico. It is also reportedly naturalized in South Africa, Italy and Spain, specially in the Canary Islands.

<i>Agave</i> Genus of flowering plants closely related to yucca

Agave is a genus of monocots native to the arid regions of the Americas. The genus is primarily known for its succulent and xerophytic species that typically form large rosettes of strong, fleshy leaves. Agave now includes species formerly placed in a number of other genera, such as Manfreda, ×Mangave, Polianthes and Prochnyanthes.

<i>Agave parviflora</i> Species of flowering plant

Agave parviflora is a species of succulent perennial flowering plant in the asparagus family, known by the common names Santa Cruz striped agave, smallflower century plant, and small-flower agave. It is native to Arizona in the United States and Sonora in Mexico.

<i>Agave filifera</i> Species of flowering plant

Agave filifera, the thread agave, is a species of flowering plant in the family Asparagaceae, native to Central Mexico from Querétaro to Mexico State. It is a small or medium-sized succulent plant that forms stemless rosette up to 3 feet (91 cm) across and up to 2 feet (61 cm) tall. The leaves are dark green to a bronzish-green in color and have very ornamental white bud imprints. The flower stalk is up to 11.5 feet (3.5 m) tall and is densely loaded with yellowish-green to dark purple flowers up to 2 inches (5.1 cm) long. Flowers appear in autumn and winter.

<i>Dudleya attenuata</i> Species of succulent

Dudleya attenuata is a species of perennial succulent plant known by the common name taper-tip liveforever, native to Baja California and a small portion of California. A rosette-forming leaf succulent, it has narrow pencil shaped leaves that can often be found covered in a white epicuticular wax. The thin, sprawling stems branch to form the clusters of rosettes, with plants creating a "clump" up to 40 cm wide. The small flowers are white or yellow, with 5 spreading petals. It is a diverse, variable species that extends from the southernmost coast of San Diego County to an area slightly north of the Vizcaino Desert, hybridizing with many other species of Dudleya in its range. Some plants with white or pinkish flowers were referred to as Orcutt's liveforever, referring to a former subspecies split on the basis of the flower color.

The Asparagales are an order of plants, and on this page the structure of the order is used according to the APG III system. The order takes its name from the family Asparagaceae and is placed in the monocots. The order is clearly circumscribed on the basis of DNA sequence analysis, but is difficult to define morphologically, since its members are structurally diverse. The APG III system is used in World Checklist of Selected Plant Families from the Royal Botanical Gardens at Kew. With this circumscription, the order consists of 14 families with approximately 1120 genera and 26000 species.

<i>Aloe lomatophylloides</i> Species of plant

Aloe lomatophylloides is a unique species of Aloe endemic to the island of Rodrigues, in the Indian Ocean. It is part of a group of aloes which bear fleshy berries, and were therefore classed as a separate group, Aloe section Lomatophyllum.

<i>Aloe macra</i> Species of succulent

Aloe macra is a species of Aloe endemic to the island of Réunion, in the Indian Ocean.

<i>Aloe aldabrensis</i> Species of succulent

Aloe aldabrensis is a species of Aloe endemic to the islands of Aldabra in the Indian Ocean, where it can still be found in coastal scrub on limestone-based soil.

Aloe mayottensis is a species of Aloe indigenous to the island of Mayotte and surrounding islands of the Comoros, in the Indian Ocean. Formerly more widespread, it is now rarely found outside of cultivation.

<i>Agave margaritae</i> Species of flowering plant

Agave margaritae is a species of plant from the Agave genus. Its common name in English is "Magdalena Island Agave".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aloeae</span> Tribe of succulent plants

Aloeae is a tribe of succulent plants in the subfamily Asphodeloideae of the family Asphodelaceae, consisting of the aloes and their close relatives. The taxon may also be treated as the subfamily Alooideae by those botanists who retain the narrower circumscription of Asphodelaceae adopted prior to the APG III system. Typically, plants have rosettes of more or less succulent leaves, with or without a distinct stem. Their flowers are arranged in racemes and tend to be either small and pale, pollinated by insects, or larger and more brightly coloured, pollinated by birds. As of 2017, 11 genera are recognized, most created since 2010 by splitting off another five genera from Aloe and another two from Haworthia. Only two genera, Aloe and Aloidendron, are native outside southern Africa, extending northwards to the Arabian Peninsula. Seven genera are restricted to South Africa, some with small ranges. Members of the Aloeae are cultivated by succulent plant enthusiasts; Aloe species especially are used in temperate climates as ornamental garden plants. Some species are used in traditional medicine. Aloe vera and Aloe ferox are cultivated for their extracts, whose uses include moisturizers and emollients in cosmetics.

References

  1. 1 2 García-Mendoza, A.J.; Sandoval-Gutiérrez, D.; Torres-García, I.; Linares, J. (2019). "Agave attenuata". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2019: e.T114936958A114963376. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2019-3.RLTS.T114936958A114963376.en . Retrieved 20 November 2021.
  2. The Plant List, Agave attenuata
  3. Robert Zander : Zander hand dictionary of plant names. Edited by Fritz Encke , Günther Buchheim, Siegmund Seybold .15th edition, corrected reprint of the 14th edition. Eugen Ulmer, Stuttgart 1994, ISBN   3-8001-5072-7
  4. "Agave attenuata".
  5. "Agave Blue Flame — GDNC Nursery". The hybrid was created in LA, California. Its parents, Agave shawii[,] is native to Southern California and Mexico's Baja California, which include[s] both desert and temperate coastal climate[s], and Agave attenuata[;] is native to central Mexico, which has warm and humid summers.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  6. Joachim Thiede: Agave chamelensis . In: Urs Eggli (ed.): Succulent lexicon. Monocotyledons (monocotyledons) . Eugen Ulmer, Stuttgart 2001, ISBN   3-8001-3662-7 , P. 14-15 .
  7. 1 2 Howard Scott Gentry, Agaves of Continental North America (University of Arizona Press, 1982) pp. 66-71
  8. "Agave attenuata subsp. attenuata". Catalogue of Life . Retrieved 18 January 2021.
  9. "Agave attenuata subsp. dentata (J.Verschaff.) B.Ullrich". Catalogue of Life . Retrieved 18 January 2021.
  10. Harrison, Lorraine (2012). RHS Latin for Gardeners. United Kingdom: Mitchell Beazley. ISBN   184533731X.
  11. Gordon Cheers (ed.): Botanica . Random House Australia 2003. German edition: Tandem Verlag GmbH 2003, ISBN   3-8331-1600-5
  12. 1 2 "Agave attenuata Salm-Dyck". Catalogue of Life . Retrieved 18 January 2021.
  13. Agave attenuata, The Lovely Plants
  14. "Agave Species, Durango Soft Agave, Century Plant, Maguey". davesgarden.com. Retrieved 18 January 2021.
  15. "Agave attenuata (Fox Tail Agave)". worldofsucculents.com. 29 April 2020. Retrieved 18 January 2021.