Agave Americana

Agave Americana also known as the century plant or the Americam Aloe is a cactus-like plant which can tolerate extreme heat and some frost when larger. 

If you intend to grow this plant in your garden make sure that you choose the most sheltered and sunniest spot in your garden and if your soil does not drain well then you must take measures to drain the water away from the roors as much as possible.

It is of course a very good plant for a pot as you can use well-draining compost and shelter the pot in extreme cold.

The plant effectively tolerates dry soils and drought and can grow up to four meters across. Older plants often develop short, woody stems at the base producing numerous suckers that form a large clump or colony. Fully mature Agave Americana plants develop beautiful flower clusters on their stems measuring 6 to 12 meters tall. 

The base of the plant usually develops large leaves arranged in a rosette. The leaves may be erect or ascending in nature and are often bent backwards near their tips. Agave Americana leaves are rigid and moderately fleshy. They measure about two meters long and 25 centimeters wide. The leaf margins of Agave Americana have prickly teeth at intervals of two to six centimeters. In addition, the leaves of the plant feature a pointed tip with a dark, brown spine. 

Agave Americana can be grown in various conditions including woodlands, urban areas, rocky slopes and cliffs, as well as sandy areas. The plant can reliably tolerate wind, high temperatures, salt, and drought. It can colonize bare sands, and dry, low fertility soils. As mentioned, it is best to plant it in your sunniest spot. 

Award of Garden Merit by the Royal Horticultural Society, a sure sign that it will perform well in most gardens.