Squid Agave
Agave bracteosa, Agave Family ( Agaveae or Agavaceae ), Squid Agave. Also called: .
A thick-leafed evergreen succulent which does not always die after blooming as do most agave. It has pointed leaves which form a basal rosette with a 2 - 3 foot height and a spread of 3 - 4 feet.
It has a slow growth rate.
Can not take full sun in Phoenix or Tucson. Plant in a light shady area.
Height: 2 to 3 feet tall. Spreads about 3 to 4 feet.
Flowers: Its flowers, are cream - yellow on a spike 5 to 6 feet tall. Then, about 60 - 90 days later, baby plantlets form and cling to the stalk until after the mother plant has died. The plantlets then fall to the ground and take root.
Blooming Time: Phoenix Arizona, Mid March.
Leaves: The leaves symmetrical, spineless rosettes of thick, succulent, dark green leaves over 3 ft long. They have a wavey appearance like the upraised arms of an ocotopus or squid. They are smooth, curved, with very tiny rough margins.
Found: Native Chihuahuan Desert mountains in northern Mexico (Coahuila, Nuevo Leon).
Elevation: 3,000-5,500 feet in the Sierra Madre Oriental.
Habitat: It grows well in sand, sandy loam, clay and other heavy soils. It needs good drainage and aeration. It is remarkably tolerant of alkali.
Miscellaneous: Maintenance: Low. Photos Taken; Boyce Thompson Arboretum, October 11, 2006.
