Agave shawii ssp. goldmaniana
Agave, Mescal, Maguey

AGAVACEAE (Agave Family)

The generic name refers to the Greek Agaue which is a proper name meaning the noble or illustrious one.

Description

This agave is a perennial fleshy plant that has gray-green lance shaped leaves 10-18 cm (4-8 inches) wide and 40 to 70 cm (16-28 inches) long. The leaves have marginal teeth 10-15 mm (1/2 inch) long and spine-like tips 3-4 cm (1-1/2 inch) long. The plant grows to 1 m (3 feet) tall and after several years produces a flower spike 3-5 m (9-15 feet) tall. The yellow flowers open from September to May and are carried on a long stalked inflorescence that has a pyramidal arrangement to the flower clusters and produces 18-25 lateral branches. This subspecies has longer, lighter green leaves and a more pyramidal top of the inflorescence than A. shawii spp. shawii.

Range and Habitat

This agave is found in central Baja California area from El Rosario inland and to the east along the Pacific slopes and south to Vizcaíno Bay.

Natural History