Practical
Plants

Agave utahensis discreta

Century Plant

a perennial evergreen member of the Agave genus in the family Agavaceae.

No photo available

Taxonomy and growth

Family
Agavaceae
Genus
Agave
Life cycle
perennial
Foliage
evergreen
Height
4 m
Spread
2 m
Fertility
Moths, Bats
Flower type
hermaphrodite
Pollinators
Moths, Bats

Uses

Toxicity

Toxicity warning. The historical record reports a hazard for this plant. Do not use it to decide which parts are safe to eat or use medicinally.

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

The plants have a very sharp and tough spine at the tip of each leaf. They need to be carefully sited in the garden.

Edible uses

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

The heart of the plant is very rich in saccharine matter and can be eaten when baked[8][14][15][2][6]. Sweet and delicious, but rather fibrous[11]. It is partly below ground. Can be dried for future use or soaked in water to produce a flavourful beverage[7]. Seed - ground into a flour[17][5]. Flower stalk - roasted[7]. Root - cooked[7]. Sap from the cut flowering stems is used as a syrup[6]. The sap can also be tapped by boring a hole into the middle of the plant at the base of the flowering stem[11]. It can be fermented into 'Mescal', a very potent alcoholic drink[11].

Product or use
Drink
Plant part
Leaves
Plant part
Root
Plant part
Sap
Plant part
Seed
Plant part
Stem

Medicinal uses

Historical medicinal uses. These records describe reported uses. They do not establish safety or effectiveness. Ask a qualified health professional before using any plant medicinally.

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

The sap is antiseptic, diuretic and laxative[10].

Product or use
Antiseptic
Product or use
Diuretic
Product or use
Laxative

Material uses

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

The leaves contain saponins and an extract of them can be used as a soap[8]. It is best obtained by chopping up the leaves and then simmering them in water - do not boil for too long or this will start to break down the saponins[K]. A very strong fibre obtained from the leaves is used for making rope, coarse fabrics etc[8][15][19]. To make hair brushes and brushes for cleaning, the dried matter of a dead and rotten leaf was knocked free from the fibres, which were then bent in two. the upper end of this brush was wrapped with a cord and the bent portion was covered with a cloth. The loose fibres were cut to the right length and hardened by burning the ends[13]. A paper can also be made from the fibre in the leaves[8]. The thorns on the leaves are used as pins and needles[8]. The dried flowering stems are used as a waterproof thatch[8] and as a razor strop[18].

Product or use
Brush
Product or use
Fibre
Product or use
Needles
Product or use
Paper
Product or use
Pins
Product or use
Soap
Product or use
Thatching

Environment

Range
South-western N. America - found in the Grand Canyon.
Habitat
Dry stony limestone slopes, 1000 - 1500 metres[16].
Light
full sun
Shade tolerance
no shade
Water
moderate
Hardiness
Zone 9+
Soil textures
sandy, loamy
Soil pH
acid, neutral, alkaline
Drainage
well drained
Tolerances
drought
Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
No
Drought
tolerant

Propagation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Seed - surface sow in a light position, April in a warm greenhouse. The seed usually germinates in 1 - 3 months at 20°c[4]. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots of well-drained soil when they are large enough to handle and grow them on in a sunny position in the greenhouse until they are at least 20cm tall. Plant out in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts, and give some protection from the cold for at least their first few winters[K]. Offsets can be potted up at any time they are available. Keep in a warm greenhouse until they are well established[9].

Cultivation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Requires a very well-drained soil and a sunny position[1][9]. Plants are only hardy on the south coast of England, where they succeed from Torbay westwards[1]. A monocarpic species, the plant lives for a number of years without flowering but dies once it does flower. However, it normally produces plenty of suckers during its life and these take about 10 - 15 years in a warm climate, considerably longer in colder ones, before flowering[3]. This plant is widely used by the native people in its wild habitat, it has a wide range of uses. Members of this genus are rarely if ever troubled by browsing deer[12].

References

  1. F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press 1951-00-00

    ↩1↩2

  2. Tanaka. T. Tanaka's Cyclopaedia of Edible Plants of the World. Keigaku Publishing 1976-00-00

    ↩

  3. Bean. W. Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Great Britain. Vol 1 - 4 and Supplement. Murray 1981-00-00

    ↩

  4. Rice. G. (Editor) Growing from Seed. Volume 1. Thompson and Morgan. 1987-00-00

    ↩

  5. Yanovsky. E. Food Plants of the N. American Indians. Publication no. 237. U.S. Depf of Agriculture.

    ↩

  6. Kunkel. G. Plants for Human Consumption. Koeltz Scientific Books 1984-00-00 ISBN 3874292169

    ↩1↩2

  7. Facciola. S. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications 1990-00-00 ISBN 0-9628087-0-9

    ↩1↩2↩3

  8. Hedrick. U. P. Sturtevant's Edible Plants of the World. Dover Publications 1972-00-00 ISBN 0-486-20459-6

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4↩5↩6

  9. Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-333-47494-5

    ↩1↩2

  10. Lust. J. The Herb Book. Bantam books 1983-00-00 ISBN 0-553-23827-2

    ↩

  11. Weiner. M. A. Earth Medicine, Earth Food. Ballantine Books 1980-00-00 ISBN 0-449-90589-6

    ↩1↩2↩3

  12. Thomas. G. S. Perennial Garden Plants J. M. Dent & Sons, London. 1990-00-00 ISBN 0 460 86048 8

    ↩

  13. Moerman. D. Native American Ethnobotany Timber Press. Oregon. 1998-00-00 ISBN 0-88192-453-9

    ↩

  14. Uphof. J. C. Th. Dictionary of Economic Plants. Weinheim 1959-00-00

    ↩

  15. Usher. G. A Dictionary of Plants Used by Man. Constable 1974-00-00 ISBN 0094579202

    ↩1↩2

  16. Munz. A California Flora. University of California Press 1959-00-00

    ↩

  17. Harrington. H. D. Edible Native Plants of the Rocky Mountains. University of New Mexico Press 1967-00-00 ISBN 0-8623-0343-9

    ↩

  18. Polunin. O. and Huxley. A. Flowers of the Mediterranean. Hogarth Press 1987-00-00 ISBN 0-7012-0784-1

    ↩

  19. Balls. E. K. Early Uses of Californian Plants. University of California Press 1975-00-00 ISBN 0-520-00072-2

    ↩

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