Agave andreae
Agave andreae
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 andreae is an evergreen, stemless, succulent plant forming a rosette of leaves that can be 80 - 230cm tall and 150 - 360cm in diameter. Mature plants can produce around 20 - 40 spiny leaves that can each be 90 - 150cm long and 12 - 14cm wide near the base. After several years of growth, a flowering stem that can be around 5 - 7.3 metres tall is produced, after which the rosette will die[ 1843 Title Four New Species of Agave (Agavaceae) of the Marmoratae Group Publication Systematic Botany (2013), 38(2): pp. 1-12 Author Vázquez-García J.A. et al Publisher Year 2013 ISBN Description ]. The plant occasionally produces suckers and these will continue to grow after the death of the parent plant[ 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 ]. The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a medicine. It is worthy of cultivation as an ornamental because of its very robust habit and spectacular inflorescence with brilliant orange-yellow flowers[ 1843 Title Four New Species of Agave (Agavaceae) of the Marmoratae Group Publication Systematic Botany (2013), 38(2): pp. 1-12 Author Vázquez-García J.A. et al Publisher Year 2013 ISBN Description ]. Agave andreae has a very restricted population size, and although it is not known to be declining, the continued presence of activities linked to illegal production and trafficking of substances in the region is a concern for the future of the species. The plant is classified as 'Vulnerable' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2013)[ 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. ].