Taxon:  Agave americana L.



Summary
Genus:
Agave
Family:
Asparagaceae
Subfamily:
Agavoideae
Nomen number:
1690
Place of publication:
Sp. pl. 1:323.  1753
Verified:
02/26/2012 ARS Systematic Botanists.
Accessions:
17 (5  active, 1  available) in National Plant Germplasm System.  (Map it)
Other conspecific taxa
Agave americana L. subsp. americana (0 active accession[s])
Agave americana L. subsp. americana var. americana (0 active accession[s])
Agave americana L. subsp. americana var. expansa (Jacobi) Gentry (0 active accession[s])
Agave americana L. subsp. americana var. picta (Salm-Dyck) A. Terracc. (0 active accession[s])
Agave americana L. subsp. protamericana Gentry (0 active accession[s])
Autonyms (not in current use), synonyms and invalid designations
Heterotypic Synonym(s)
Agave rasconensis Trel. ex Standl.
Agave zonata Trel.

No images


Conservation Status

Reference(s)
  1. Aldén, B., S. Ryman, & M. Hjertson. 2012. Svensk Kulturväxtdatabas, SKUD (Swedish Cultivated and Utility Plants Database; online resource)
  2. Allan, H. H. B. et al. 1961-. Flora of New Zealand.
  3. APHIS. Agricultural Risk Management System United States Department of Agriculture.
  4. Davidse, G. et al., eds. 1994. Flora mesoamericana.
  5. Davis, P. H., ed. 1965-1988. Flora of Turkey and the east Aegean islands.
  6. Erhardt, W. et al. 2008. Der große Zander: Enzyklopädie der Pflanzennamen 2:1184.
  7. Euro+Med Editorial Committee. Euro+Med Plantbase: the information resource for Euro-Mediterranean plant diversity (on-line resource).
  8. Figueredo-Urbina, C. J. et al. 2021. Morphological and genetic diversity of traditional varieties of agave in Hidalgo State, Mexico. PLoS One 16:e0254376. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0254376.
  9. FNA Editorial Committee. 1993-. Flora of North America.
  10. Gentry, H. S. 1972. The agave family in Sonora. U.S.D.A. Agric. Handb. 399:80-84.
  11. Gentry, H. S. 1982. Agaves of continental North America 270-290. Note: with two subspecies
  12. George, A. S., ed. 1980-. Flora of Australia.
  13. Germishuizen, G. & N. L. Meyer, eds. 2003. Plants of southern Africa: an annotated checklist. Strelitzia 14 National Botanical Institute, Pretoria, South Africa.
  14. Hanelt, P., ed. 2001. Mansfeld's encyclopedia of agricultural and horticultural crops. Volumes 1-6
  15. Hansen, A. & P. Sunding. 1993. Flora of Macaronesia: checklist of vascular plants, ed. 4. Sommerfeltia vol. 17.
  16. Henderson, L. 2001. Alien weeds and invasive plants: a complete guide to declared weeds and invaders in South Africa. Plant Protection Research Institute, Handbook 12
  17. Hnatiuk, R. J. 1990. Census of Australian vascular plants. Australian Flora and Fauna Series No. 11.
  18. Institute of Pacific Islands Forestry. Pacific Island Ecosystems at Risk (PIER): plant threats to Pacific ecosystems (on-line resource).
  19. Instituto de Botánica Darwinion. 2008. Flora del Conosur. Catálogo de las plantas vasculares.
  20. Jørgensen, P. M., ed. Catálogo de las plantas vasculares de Bolivia (Catalogue of vascular plants of Bolivia) (on-line resource).
  21. Kamalesh, T. et al. 1994. Agave americana - potentials ahead. MFP News 4:14-16.
  22. Kellerman, T. S. et al. 1988. Plant poisonings and mycotoxicoses of livestock in Southern Africa
  23. Killeen, T. J. et al. 1993. Guia de arboles de Bolivia
  24. Liberty Hyde Bailey Hortorium. 1976. Hortus third. A concise dictionary of plants cultivated in the United States and Canada
  25. McGuffin, M., J. T. Kartesz, A. Y. Leung, & A. O. Tucker. 2000. Herbs of commerce, ed. 2 American Herbal Products Association, Silver Spring, Maryland.
  26. Personal Care Products Council. International Nomenclature Cosmetic Ingredient
  27. Quézel, P. & S. Santa. 1962-1963. Nouvelle flore de l'Algerie.
  28. Soukup, J. 1970. Vocabulario de los nombres vulgares de la flora peruana. Colegio Salesiano, Lima, Peru.
  29. Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
  30. Valdés, B. et al., eds. 2002. Catalogue des plantes vasculaires du nord du Maroc, incluant des clés d'identification
  31. Vázquez-García et al. 2004. Flora del norte de Jalisco y etnobotánica Huichola. Serie Fronteras de Biodivesidad 1:57.
  32. Weber, E. 2003. Invasive plant species of the world: a reference guide to environmental weeds
  33. Wu Zheng-yi & P. H. Raven et al., eds. 1994-. Flora of China (English edition).
Common names
LanguageNameAlternate namenoteseqCitation
EnglishAmerican agave  1Henderson, L. 2001. Alien weeds and invasive plants: a complete guide to declared weeds and invaders in South Africa. Plant Protection Research Institute, Handbook 12
EnglishAmerican-aloe  1Liberty Hyde Bailey Hortorium. 1976. Hortus third. A concise dictionary of plants cultivated in the United States and Canada
Englishcentury-plant  1Liberty Hyde Bailey Hortorium. 1976. Hortus third. A concise dictionary of plants cultivated in the United States and Canada
Afrikaansgaringboom  2Henderson, L. 2001. Alien weeds and invasive plants: a complete guide to declared weeds and invaders in South Africa. Plant Protection Research Institute, Handbook 12
Germanhundert-jährige Agave  2Erhardt, W. et al. 2008. Der große Zander: Enzyklopädie der Pflanzennamen 2:1184.
Spanishmaguey  2Liberty Hyde Bailey Hortorium. 1976. Hortus third. A concise dictionary of plants cultivated in the United States and Canada
Swedishagave  2Aldén, B., S. Ryman, & M. Hjertson. 2012. Svensk Kulturväxtdatabas, SKUD (Swedish Cultivated and Utility Plants Database; online resource)
Distribution
order_codeStatusContinentSubcontinentCountryStateNoteReference
1NativeNorthern AmericaNorthern MexicoMexicoCoahuila de Zaragoza Gentry, H. S. 1982. Agaves of continental North America 270-290. Note: with two subspecies
1NativeNorthern AmericaNorthern MexicoMexicoNuevo León Gentry, H. S. 1982. Agaves of continental North America 270-290. Note: with two subspecies
1NativeNorthern AmericaNorthern MexicoMexicoSan Luis Potosí Gentry, H. S. 1982. Agaves of continental North America 270-290. Note: with two subspecies
1NativeNorthern AmericaNorthern MexicoMexicoSonora McVaugh, R. 1989. Flora Novo-Galiciana. 15:132.
1NativeNorthern AmericaNorthern MexicoMexicoTamaulipas Gentry, H. S. 1982. Agaves of continental North America 270-290. Note: with two subspecies
1NativeNorthern AmericaSouth-Central U.S.A.United StatesTexas FNA Editorial Committee. 1993-. Flora of North America.
1NativeNorthern AmericaSouthern MexicoMexicoJalisco McVaugh, R. 1989. Flora Novo-Galiciana. 15:132.
1NativeNorthern AmericaSouthern MexicoMexicoQuerétaro McVaugh, R. 1989. Flora Novo-Galiciana. 15:132.
1NativeNorthern AmericaSouthern MexicoMexicoVeracruz de Ignacio de la Llave McVaugh, R. 1989. Flora Novo-Galiciana. 15:132.
2Cultivated    also cult.Erhardt, W. et al. 2008. Der große Zander: Enzyklopädie der Pflanzennamen 2:1184.
4NaturalizedAfricaMacaronesiaPortugalAzores Hansen, A. & P. Sunding. 1993. Flora of Macaronesia: checklist of vascular plants, ed. 4. Sommerfeltia vol. 17.
4NaturalizedAfricaMacaronesiaPortugalMadeira Islands Hansen, A. & P. Sunding. 1993. Flora of Macaronesia: checklist of vascular plants, ed. 4. Sommerfeltia vol. 17.
4NaturalizedAfricaMacaronesiaSpainCanarias Hansen, A. & P. Sunding. 1993. Flora of Macaronesia: checklist of vascular plants, ed. 4. Sommerfeltia vol. 17.
4NaturalizedAfricaNorthern AfricaAlgeria  Quézel, P. & S. Santa. 1962-1963. Nouvelle flore de l'Algerie.
4NaturalizedAfricaNorthern AfricaMorocco  Valdés, B. et al., eds. 2002. Catalogue des plantes vasculaires du nord du Maroc, incluant des clés d'identification
4NaturalizedAfricaSouthern AfricaBotswana  Germishuizen, G. & N. L. Meyer, eds. 2003. Plants of southern Africa: an annotated checklist. Strelitzia 14 National Botanical Institute, Pretoria, South Africa.
4NaturalizedAfricaSouthern AfricaEswatini  Germishuizen, G. & N. L. Meyer, eds. 2003. Plants of southern Africa: an annotated checklist. Strelitzia 14 National Botanical Institute, Pretoria, South Africa.
4NaturalizedAfricaSouthern AfricaLesotho  Germishuizen, G. & N. L. Meyer, eds. 2003. Plants of southern Africa: an annotated checklist. Strelitzia 14 National Botanical Institute, Pretoria, South Africa.
4NaturalizedAfricaSouthern AfricaSouth Africa  Germishuizen, G. & N. L. Meyer, eds. 2003. Plants of southern Africa: an annotated checklist. Strelitzia 14 National Botanical Institute, Pretoria, South Africa.
4NaturalizedAsia-TemperateChinaChina s.Wu Zheng-yi & P. H. Raven et al., eds. 1994-. Flora of China (English edition).
4NaturalizedAsia-TemperateWestern AsiaTurkey  Davis, P. H., ed. 1965-1988. Flora of Turkey and the east Aegean islands.
4NaturalizedAustralasiaAustraliaAustraliaNew South Wales George, A. S., ed. 1980-. Flora of Australia.
4NaturalizedAustralasiaAustraliaAustraliaQueensland George, A. S., ed. 1980-. Flora of Australia.
4NaturalizedAustralasiaNew ZealandNew Zealand  Allan, H. H. B. et al. 1961-. Flora of New Zealand.
4NaturalizedEuropeSoutheastern EuropeAlbania  Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
4NaturalizedEuropeSoutheastern EuropeCroatia  Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
4NaturalizedEuropeSoutheastern EuropeGreece incl. CreteTutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
4NaturalizedEuropeSoutheastern EuropeItaly incl. Sardinia, SicilyTutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
4NaturalizedEuropeSouthwestern EuropeFrance incl. CorsicaTutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
4NaturalizedEuropeSouthwestern EuropePortugal  Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
4NaturalizedEuropeSouthwestern EuropeSpain incl. BalearesTutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
4NaturalizedPacificNorthwestern PacificPalau  Institute of Pacific Islands Forestry. Pacific Island Ecosystems at Risk (PIER): plant threats to Pacific ecosystems (on-line resource).
4NaturalizedPacificSouthwestern PacificNew Caledonia  Institute of Pacific Islands Forestry. Pacific Island Ecosystems at Risk (PIER): plant threats to Pacific ecosystems (on-line resource).
4NaturalizedSouthern AmericaSouthern South AmericaArgentinaCórdoba Instituto de Botánica Darwinion. 2008. Flora del Conosur. Catálogo de las plantas vasculares.
4NaturalizedSouthern AmericaSouthern South AmericaArgentinaLa Pampa Instituto de Botánica Darwinion. 2008. Flora del Conosur. Catálogo de las plantas vasculares.
4NaturalizedSouthern AmericaSouthern South AmericaChileJuan Fernández Islands Institute of Pacific Islands Forestry. Pacific Island Ecosystems at Risk (PIER): plant threats to Pacific ecosystems (on-line resource).
4NaturalizedSouthern AmericaWestern South AmericaBoliviaChuquisaca Jørgensen, P. M., ed. Catálogo de las plantas vasculares de Bolivia (Catalogue of vascular plants of Bolivia) (on-line resource).
4NaturalizedSouthern AmericaWestern South AmericaBoliviaLa Paz Jørgensen, P. M., ed. Catálogo de las plantas vasculares de Bolivia (Catalogue of vascular plants of Bolivia) (on-line resource).
4NaturalizedSouthern AmericaWestern South AmericaPeru  Soukup, J. 1970. Vocabulario de los nombres vulgares de la flora peruana. Colegio Salesiano, Lima, Peru.
Native
Northern America
  • SOUTH-CENTRAL U.S.A.: United States [Texas]
  • NORTHERN MEXICO: Mexico [Coahuila de Zaragoza, Nuevo León, San Luis Potosí, Sonora, Tamaulipas]
  • SOUTHERN MEXICO: Mexico [Jalisco, Querétaro, Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave]
Cultivated (also cult.)
Naturalized
Africa
  • MACARONESIA: Spain [Canarias], Portugal [Azores, Madeira Islands]
  • NORTHERN AFRICA: Algeria, Morocco
  • SOUTHERN AFRICA: Botswana, Lesotho, Eswatini, South Africa
Asia-Temperate
  • WESTERN ASIA: Turkey
  • CHINA: China (s.)
Australasia
  • AUSTRALIA: Australia [New South Wales, Queensland]
  • NEW ZEALAND: New Zealand
Europe
  • SOUTHEASTERN EUROPE: Albania, Greece (incl. Crete), Croatia, Italy (incl. Sardinia, Sicily)
  • SOUTHWESTERN EUROPE: Spain (incl. Baleares), France (incl. Corsica), Portugal
Pacific
  • NORTHWESTERN PACIFIC: Palau
  • SOUTHWESTERN PACIFIC: New Caledonia
Southern America
  • WESTERN SOUTH AMERICA: Bolivia [Chuquisaca, La Paz], Peru
  • SOUTHERN SOUTH AMERICA: Argentina [Córdoba, La Pampa], Chile [Juan Fernández Islands]

Reference(s)
  1. Allan, H. H. B. et al. 1961-. Flora of New Zealand.
  2. Davis, P. H., ed. 1965-1988. Flora of Turkey and the east Aegean islands.
  3. Erhardt, W. et al. 2008. Der große Zander: Enzyklopädie der Pflanzennamen 2:1184.
  4. FNA Editorial Committee. 1993-. Flora of North America.
  5. Gentry, H. S. 1982. Agaves of continental North America 270-290. Note: with two subspecies
  6. George, A. S., ed. 1980-. Flora of Australia.
  7. Germishuizen, G. & N. L. Meyer, eds. 2003. Plants of southern Africa: an annotated checklist. Strelitzia 14 National Botanical Institute, Pretoria, South Africa.
  8. Hansen, A. & P. Sunding. 1993. Flora of Macaronesia: checklist of vascular plants, ed. 4. Sommerfeltia vol. 17.
  9. Institute of Pacific Islands Forestry. Pacific Island Ecosystems at Risk (PIER): plant threats to Pacific ecosystems (on-line resource).
  10. Instituto de Botánica Darwinion. 2008. Flora del Conosur. Catálogo de las plantas vasculares.
  11. Jørgensen, P. M., ed. Catálogo de las plantas vasculares de Bolivia (Catalogue of vascular plants of Bolivia) (on-line resource).
  12. McVaugh, R. 1989. Flora Novo-Galiciana. 15:132.
  13. Quézel, P. & S. Santa. 1962-1963. Nouvelle flore de l'Algerie.
  14. Soukup, J. 1970. Vocabulario de los nombres vulgares de la flora peruana. Colegio Salesiano, Lima, Peru.
  15. Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
  16. Valdés, B. et al., eds. 2002. Catalogue des plantes vasculaires du nord du Maroc, incluant des clés d'identification
  17. Wu Zheng-yi & P. H. Raven et al., eds. 1994-. Flora of China (English edition).
Economic Uses
UsageTypeNoteReference
Environmentalornamental Weber, E. 2003. Invasive plant species of the world: a reference guide to environmental weeds
Medicinesfolklore McGuffin, M., J. T. Kartesz, A. Y. Leung, & A. O. Tucker. 2000. Herbs of commerce, ed. 2 American Herbal Products Association, Silver Spring, Maryland.
Vertebrate poisonsmammals Kellerman, T. S. et al. 1988. Plant poisonings and mycotoxicoses of livestock in Southern Africa
Weed  Weber, E. 2003. Invasive plant species of the world: a reference guide to environmental weeds
Cite as: USDA, Agricultural Research Service, National Plant Germplasm System. 2026. Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN Taxonomy). National Germplasm Resources Laboratory, Beltsville, Maryland.
URL: https://npgstest.ars-grin.gov/gringlobal/taxon/taxonomydetail?id=1690. Accessed 17 April 2026.