Figure 1 Agave utahensis distribution
Figure 2 Agave utahensis
Figure 3 Agave utahensis flower stalk
The Utah Agave also known as the century plant is native to the deserts of Utah, Arizona, and Nevada. It is know to be distributed through USDA hardiness zones of 6-10. There are more than 200 species of Agave. The Utah Agave is named after its adaptation and origination to the Mojave and Great Basin deserts of Utah.
Description:
Leaves of the Agave are oriented in a rosette pattern consisting of succulent thick evergreen leaves. The leaves are edged with razor sharp spines. These spines are used for protection from herbivores. Agave plant uses a propagation technique involving small off shoot plants called suckers. Agave utahensis also propagates through seed production. Blooms occur towards the end of the plants life cycle, usually 10-15 years after establishment. It is know as the century plant because it was thought to take a century to bloom. Flowering plants produce flower stalks that can up to 4 meters tall, consisting of small yellow flowers. Bats and moths often pollinate the flowers.
Ecology:
Agave utahensis is well adapted to the arid climate of southern Utah. The Agave has a high tolerance to heat and requires little water. This species is drought tolerant and used in xeriscaping. The Agave is monocarpic meaning it flowers only once in its life cycle then dies. It spends most of its life storing carbohydrates in the heart of the plant to flower and produce a huge quantity of seeds. It is sustainable on a wide rage of soil pH from 6.6 to 8.5. Agaves have shallow fibrous roots that allow the highest amount of water to be captured.
Uses:
Utah native peoples often use the Agave for a variety of things. Edible uses include grinding seeds into flower, roasting the flower stalk and cooking the root. The sap of the Agave is used as an antiseptic, diuretic and laxative. Agave spines can be used as pins or needles. The leaves contain saponins, which can be used as soap. Saponins also have health benefits including stimulation of the immune system. The fibrous material in the leaves of Agave can be dried and used for ropes, fabric and sometimes paper. The most well known use of the Agave plant is the production of Mescal, a potent tequila-like alcoholic drink. Production of mescal includes harvesting the sap from the heart of the Agave. The sap is then fermented and distilled to produce the drinkable product. Tequila is made in a similar fashion only exclusively from the Blue Agave.