Agave filifera
Habitat:
Native to Mexico, this succulent plant grows in exposed sites, at high altitude in oak woodlands, and steep walled cliffs.
Description:
Medium-small sized succulent plant with a stemless rosette up to 60 cm tall and up to 90 cm across; leaves’ colours goes from bronze-green to dark green, and present white bud imprints. The flower stalk is up to 3,5 m tall. The numerous flowers, which appear in autumn and winter, are yellowish-green to dark purple, and can reach a 5 cm lenght.
Cultivation:
This evergreen succulent is an easy-to-grow plant, and have a moderate growth rate. As many other Agaves, they do best in very well-drained, sandy or gravely soil. As ornamental they are also grown in containers and pots (where they need a very porous mix soil), where they stay pretty small. If cultivated ooutdoors, they can take full sun and are drought tolerant; otherwise, they do well in a lightly shaded area. If copiously watered in summer – allowing to dry between each watering- it will grow really fast in summer. During the winter, only water enough to keep the leaves from shriveling. Slow release specific fertilizer, applied once or twice in a year, will help growing quickly. It is theoretically hardy to -10° C , but water froze will give pockmarks on the leaves.
Propagation:
Propagation can be done with cutten basal suckers.
Curiosity:
Its sap is fermented to make “pulque”, a light alcoholic Mexican drink.
