Century Plant

Century Plant Care

Agave americana

What is the plant

Decorate your garden with a giant, bright, thorny succulent that requires minimal maintenance.

Also known as American Aloe or Maguey, Century Plant is native to Mexico and Texas, US. It belongs to the Asparagaceae family. This Agave boasts fleshy, arching leaves in gray-green or variegated colors. It can grow up to 6 feet (1.8 m) tall and 10 feet (3 m) wide.

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Humidity

Normal

Lighting

Full Sun

Temperature

10°C - 22°C

Hardiness zone

8 - 10

Difficulty

Medium

Toxicity

Poisonous

How to Care for the Plant

Water
According to identification, Agave americana is a drought-tolerant plant, so it does not need frequent watering. On the contrary, wait until the soil is completely dry, then water the plant abundantly and forget about it again for a while.
Pruning
You do not need to prune your plant as it does not have branching branches and grows slowly. However, always remove wilted or dead leaves.
Fertilizer
Century Plant usually does not need fertilizer, although it grows in poor sandy soil. It is better to avoid using fertilizers to avoid the plant's flowering, which leads to its death.

Disease diagnosis

Check your plant’s health

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Sunlight
Century Plant does best in full sun, so make sure it gets at least six hours of light each day. However, Agave can grow in light shade.
Soil
The ideal choice is sandy soil, which dries quickly and allows water and air. Buy a ready-made mix for cacti and succulents, or prepare the soil using peat, sand, perlite, and small pebbles.
Propagation
You can easily propagate this plant with offsets or pups that appear on the sides of the mother plant. You need to separate the pup and plant it in well-drained soil carefully.

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Temperature
Since Agave comes from hot Mexico, it likes heat and low humidity. The minimum temperature that Century Plant can withstand is 20°F (-6.6°C).
Container
You can grow this plant outdoors. Otherwise, choose a large pot with drainage holes. Give preference to terracotta or ceramic pots.
Fun fact
Its flowers produce pollen which is used by bees to make honey.