Agave americana var. expansa
Century Plant, Maguey
OʼodhamAˊuḍ (Aˊudt)
Description
Agave americana var. expansa is the largest agave found in the Sonoran Desert, sometimes reaching 8 feet wide and tall. A native of the deserts of north central Mexico, this species was originally planted in the Sonoran Desert as an ornamental and has since become naturalized in urban areas and the deserts of south central Arizona. The leaves vary slightly from pale green to glaucous (bluish-green), according to the seasonal level of heat and water stress. Leaves are semi rigid and have marginal teeth typically 1/2 inch long. The outer surface of each leaf has a strong bud print, an imprint of the inside of the next outer leaf created as the leaf forms at the center of the rosette. Agave expansa usually produces offsets after reaching a height of 2 to 3 feet. Like all agaves, it flowers once at the end of its life by erupting a massive flower stalk that reaches a height of around 15 feet. Found on ranches, in towns, and in open desert below 4000 ft.
