Desert agave

Agave deserti

''Agave deserti'' is an agave native to desert regions in southern California, Arizona, and Baja California. Its tall yellow flower stalks dot dry rocky slopes and washes throughout the spring.

It forms a rosette of fleshy gray-green leaves 20–70 cm long and 4.5–10 cm broad, with sharp spines along the edges and at the tips. It flowers at maturity , sending up an inflorescence 2–6 m tall. The panicle bears numerous yellow, funnel-shaped flowers 3–6 cm long.

There are two varieties:
*''Agave deserti'' var. ''deserti''. Plants usually with numerous rosettes; perianth tube 3–5 mm. Southern California only.
*''Agave deserti'' var. ''simplex'' W.C.Hodgson & Reveal. Plants usually with one or only a few rosettes; perianth tube 5–10 mm. Southern California and Arizona.
Desert Agave with sunset The picture speaks for itself - a Desert Agave against a stunning desert sunset in Anza-Borrego State Park in California. Agave deserti,Anza-borrego SP,California,Desert agave,Geotagged,San Diego County,Summer,United States

Uses

The desert agave is drought-tolerant but requires good drainage.

The desert dwelling Native Americans used fibers from the leaves to make cloth, bowstrings, and rope. Young flower stalks , buds, and hearts of plants were eaten. Natives of southern California commonly harvested the "heads" using a specialized digging stick and roasted the leaves and heart alike. Food thus obtained often became a dietary staple, even into drought years.

Alcoholic drinks were also manufactured from the sweet juices of this and other agaves.

References:

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Taxonomy
KingdomPlantae
DivisionAngiosperms
ClassMonocots
OrderAsparagales
FamilyAsparagaceae
GenusAgave
SpeciesA. deserti