Asparagaceae FAMILY Least Concern

Agave simplex

Edibility

3/5

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 simplex is an evergreen, stemless, succulent plant forming a rosette of leaves that can be 30 - 40cm tall and 40 - 50cm in diameter. The leaves on mature plants can each be 25 - 40cm long and 6 - 10cm 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. The plant often does not sucker, or only produces a few young plants around its base, and these will often wither and die when the main rosette flowers[ 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 , 1847 Title Agave simplex, a new combination for Agavaceae Publication Phytoneuron 2019-219: 1-4. Published 25 April 2019 Author Salywon, A.M. & Hodgson W.C. Publisher Year 2019 ISBN 2153 733X Description ]. The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a food and source of fibre. It is considered to be one of the more edible of the Agaves, and was a principal plant resource for the native peoples[ 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 ]. The plant is grown as an ornamental inarid and semi-arid regions[ 338 Title IUCN Red List of Threatened Species Publication Author Website http://www.iucnredlist.org/ Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description A list of plants under threat and facing possible extinction, usually with brief details of the threats and information on habitat. ]. Agave simplex has a large and widespread population, threats are localised and it occurs in several protected areas. The plant is classified as 'Least Concern' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2020)[ 338 Title IUCN Red List of Threatened Species Publication Author Website http://www.iucnredlist.org/ Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description A list of plants under threat and facing possible extinction, usually with brief details of the threats and information on habitat. ].

Habitat & Origin

Origintemperate

Native RangeSouthwest N. America - southwest Arizona, southeast California, southern Nevada, northwest Mexico (Sonora)

HabitatMountain tops and bajada slopes with volcanic substrate (granite) in vegetation of Sonoran Desert scrub, grassland, chaparral to oak and juniper forest; at elevations fromn 250 - 1,500 metres[ 338 Title IUCN Red List of Threatened Species Publication Author Website http://www.iucnredlist.org/ Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description A list of plants under threat and facing possible extinction, usually with brief details of the threats and information on habitat. ].