Asparagaceae FAMILY

Agave fortiflora

Edibility

2/5

Medicinal

0/5

Safety & Hazards

Many Agave species have strong, sharp spines on the leaves and leaf tips. In theory at least, the flowers, nectar, immature flowering stem and the centre of the rosette of all Agave species is edible and, with proper preparation, can provide a sweet, tasty foodstuff. Some species, however, contain relatively high levels of saponins (which makes them taste bitter) and some other compounds which can cause bellyache, and so these would only be eaten in times of desperation. In addition, many people may find these foods to be strongly laxative the first few times they eat them[ 1846 Title The Agaves of Baja California Publication Occasional Papers of the California Academy of Sciences, No. 130, Author Gentry H.S. Publisher California Academy of Sciences; San Francisco Year 1978 ISBN 0068-5461 Description ].

Botanical Description

Agave fortiflora is an evergreen, stemless, succulent plant forming an open rosette of light gray leaves that can be 100cm tall and 180cm in diameter. The leaves on mature plants can each be 50 - 100cm long and 8 - 12cm wide near the base. After several years of growth, a flowering stem that can be around 4 - 6 metres tall is produced, after which the rosette will die. However, the plant occasionally produces a number of young plants around its base that will develop as new plants. The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a food and a source of fibre.

Habitat & Origin

Origintemperate

Native RangeSouthwest N. America - northwest Mexico (Sonora)

HabitatWidely and sparsely scattered on the bajadas and lower slopes of the desert coastal mountains, mostly on volcanic rocks and also on limestone ridges; at elevations from 15 - 750 metres[ 1842 Title The Agave Family in Sonora; Agriculture Handbook No. 399 Publication Author Gentry H.S. Publisher Agicultural Research Service, USDA; Washington D.C. Year 1972 ISBN Description Gives quite a lot of information on the traditional uses of the plants. , 1844 Title Agave Agavaceae Publication Illustrated Handbook of Succulent Plants: Monocotyledons, pp 21-311 Author Thiede J. Website https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-662-56486-8_111 Publisher Springer Nature Year 2020 ISBN Description ].