Agave
Agave cantala agave
Family: Asparagaceae
What it is like
Agave: Agave cantala. Commonly grown in Southeast Asia from the Philippines to India, Agave (Agave cantala) is, a succulent, evergreen, perennial plant that forms a rosette of leaves that grows up to 2 m long. It forms a flowering stem of up to 8 m in height towards the end of its life. The shoot buds are cooked and eaten as a vegetable. It is often used in landscaping as hedgerows and along rivers and brooks for reducing soil erosion. The leaves are great source of fibre used for making baskets, mats, ropes, hammocks, sandals, fishing nets, bags, and harvest binding strings. The roots, on the other hand, can be of great source of saponins that can be used as substitute for soap.
Agave cantala agave is an evergreen Perennial growing to 2 m (6ft) by 2 m (6ft) at a fast rate. See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 10 and is frost tender. Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils, prefers well-drained soil and can grow in nutritionally poor soil. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils. It cannot grow in the shade. It prefers dry or moist soil and can tolerate drought.
Height (m): 2
Where it is found
Not known as a truly wild plant
C. America to southern N. America - Mexico.
Conservation Status: This taxon has not yet been assessed.
Countries/locations it is found in
Coming Soon
How it is used
Food
Rating: 2
Shoot buds - cooked and eaten as a vegetable.
Stem: this often intergrades into leaves.
Medicine
Rating: 0
Other
Rating: 4
Other uses rating: High (4/5). Agroforestry Uses: Often planted as a hedge along the roadsides and in gardens, it is also used for reducing soil erosion along rivers and brooks. Other Uses A fibre is obtained from the leaves. It is mainly used for baskets, mats, fishing-nets, ropes, harvest binding strings, hammocks, bags and sandals. The fibre is finer but less strong than that of sisal (Agave sisalana) and henequen (Agave fourcroydes). It is more suitable for spinning than that of sisal. Wrapping paper is produced from the remainders. The roots contain saponins and can be used as a soap substitute.
Agroforestry Services: Living fence: Simply managed rows of shrubs and trees.
Industrial Crop: Fiber: Clothing, rugs, sheets, blankets etc. Currently, almost none of our fiber are produced from perennial crops but could be!
Regional Crop: These crops have been domesticated and cultivated regionally but have not been adopted elsewhere and are typically not traded globally, Examples in this broad category include perennial cottons and many nuts and staple fruits.
Staple Crop: Basic Starch: The Carbon Farming Solution. Eric Toensmeier.
Agroforestry Services: Living fence: Simply managed rows of shrubs and trees.
Industrial Crop: Fiber: Clothing, rugs, sheets, blankets etc. Currently, almost none of our fiber are produced from perennial crops but could be!
Regional Crop: These crops have been domesticated and cultivated regionally but have not been adopted elsewhere and are typically not traded globally, Examples in this broad category include perennial cottons and many nuts and staple fruits.
Staple Crop: Basic Starch: The Carbon Farming Solution. Eric Toensmeier.
Carbon Farming: Plants that can be a critical part of the solution to climate problems. The Carbon Farming Solution - Eric Toensmeier.
How it is grown
A plant of the drier tropics. It grows best in areas where annual daytime temperatures are within the range 17 - 30c, but can tolerate 10 - 38c. It is able to withstand occasional temperatures down to at least -4?c, so long as the weather and soil are fairly dry. It prefers a mean annual rainfall in the range 1,000 - 2,000mm, but tolerates 400 - 2,700mm. Requires a sunny position in a well-drained soil. Prefers a pH in the range 6.5 - 7.5, tolerating 6 - 8. The leaves contain about 4% fibre and yields of clean fibre vary between 1.1 - 3 tonnes per hectare. A monocarpic species - the plant lives for a number of years without flowering but dies once it does flower. However, it normally produces plenty of suckers during its life and these continue growing, taking about 10 - 15 years in a warm climate, considerably longer in colder ones, before flowering. The plant has a lifespan of more than 15 - 30 years.
Propagating it: Seed - Allow pods to dry on plant; break open to collect seeds
Best place to grow:
Habit: Perennial
Hardiness: 9-12
Growth: Fast
Soil: Light (sandy), medium, heavy (clay)
Shade: No shade
Moisture: Dry, moist
Things to keep in mind
Agave cantala is a species in the genus Agave which contains approximately 257 to 341 species and belongs to the family of the Agavaceae (Century-plant Family). The type species of the genus is Agave americana.
Its other names
Local names
Agave: Agave cantala.
Synonyms
Furcraea cantala Haw.