Agave americana
CENTURY PLANT
SKU: 910-5
Description
The Century Plant has a spread around 6–10 ft (1.8–3.0 m) with gray-green leaves that can each reach 3–5 ft (0.9–1.5 m) long. There are some reports that this plant can reach 13 feet tall! Leaves have a prickly margin and a heavy spike at the tip that can pierce deeply. When mature, the plant sends up a tall, branched stalk, laden with yellow blossoms, that may reach a total height up to 25–30 ft (8–9 m) tall. The plant then produces suckers or adventitious shoots from the base, which continue its growth.
A. americana is cultivated as an ornamental plant for the large dramatic form of mature plants—for modernist, drought tolerant, and desert-style cactus gardens—among many planted settings. It is often used in hot climates and where drought conditions occur. The plants can be evocative of 18th-19th-century Spanish colonial and Mexican provincial eras in the Southwestern United States, California, and xeric Mexico. It is also a popular landscape plant in beach gardens in Florida and coastal areas of the Southeastern United States. It's a popular plant in Spain, specially in the areas of Almeria, Alicante and Murcia.
Seeds per pack: 5
Germination: Start these seeds indoors right away for best germination rates. Obtain a container with holes in the bottom, to allow water to drain. Use a mix of 50:50 compost/soil and sand. Do not bury the seeds, as they require light for germination. Place the seeds on the surface of a growing mix, and water them in. These seeds can grow in temperatures of 21°C-29°C (70-84F), average about 26°C (79F), or a heat mat can be helpful. It is very important to keep the soil moist until germination, and do not let the soil dry until the plants are formed. Watering can be done from a bottom tray, as not to disturb the seeds. The seeds generally germinate in 2-6 weeks, with warmer temperatures towards the quicker end of that range.
Description
The Century Plant has a spread around 6–10 ft (1.8–3.0 m) with gray-green leaves that can each reach 3–5 ft (0.9–1.5 m) long. There are some reports that this plant can reach 13 feet tall! Leaves have a prickly margin and a heavy spike at the tip that can pierce deeply. When mature, the plant sends up a tall, branched stalk, laden with yellow blossoms, that may reach a total height up to 25–30 ft (8–9 m) tall. The plant then produces suckers or adventitious shoots from the base, which continue its growth.
A. americana is cultivated as an ornamental plant for the large dramatic form of mature plants—for modernist, drought tolerant, and desert-style cactus gardens—among many planted settings. It is often used in hot climates and where drought conditions occur. The plants can be evocative of 18th-19th-century Spanish colonial and Mexican provincial eras in the Southwestern United States, California, and xeric Mexico. It is also a popular landscape plant in beach gardens in Florida and coastal areas of the Southeastern United States. It's a popular plant in Spain, specially in the areas of Almeria, Alicante and Murcia.
Seeds per pack: 5
Germination: Start these seeds indoors right away for best germination rates. Obtain a container with holes in the bottom, to allow water to drain. Use a mix of 50:50 compost/soil and sand. Do not bury the seeds, as they require light for germination. Place the seeds on the surface of a growing mix, and water them in. These seeds can grow in temperatures of 21°C-29°C (70-84F), average about 26°C (79F), or a heat mat can be helpful. It is very important to keep the soil moist until germination, and do not let the soil dry until the plants are formed. Watering can be done from a bottom tray, as not to disturb the seeds. The seeds generally germinate in 2-6 weeks, with warmer temperatures towards the quicker end of that range.
