Hohokam Agave, Murphey agave
Agave murpheyi

Family: Asparagaceae

What it is like

Agave murpheyi is an evergreen Perennial growing to 1 m (3ft 3in) by 1 m (3ft 3in) at a slow rate. See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 7. 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. The plant can tolerate maritime exposure.

Height (m): 1

Where it is found

Grows in warm temperate to subtropical highlands, arid to semi-arid. Plants are usually found in close proximity of major drainage systems on open, hilly slopes or alluvial terraces in desert scrub with pre-Columbian agricultural and settlement features. Agave murpheyi grows at elevations from 400 to 900 meters.

Southern-central Arizona (U.S.A., Northern America) from the Bradshaw and New River Mountains, east to the Sierra Ancha Mountains and northern Sonora desert (Mexico).

Conservation Status: This taxon has not yet been assessed

Countries/locations it is found in

North America, USA. Southern-central Arizona (U.S.A., Northern America) from the Bradshaw and New River Mountains, east to the Sierra Ancha Mountains and northern Sonora desert (Mexico).

How it is used

Food

Rating: 2

Edible Portion: Heart, Growing tip. Agave murpheyi was cultivated by the Hohokam and possibly other Native Americans for both food and fiber. For food the basal rosette was harvested just before the Hohokam agave sent up a flower stalk. At this time the concentration of sugars in the rosette is at its highest The rosettes weighing about 4 kg were cooked for two or three days in a pit filled with hot stones and covered with hot coals and dirt. The baked rosette compared in taste to a sweet potato (although containing inedible fiber) is nutritious with 347 calories and 3.5 grams of protein per 100 grams. Carbon Farming Solutions - Staple Crop: basic starch (The term staple crop typically refers to a food that is eaten routinely and accounts for a dominant part of people's diets in a particular region of the world).

Apical bud: Typically, the end of a shoot contains an apical bud, which is the location where shoot growth occurs.

Medicine

Rating: 0

Other

Rating: 4

A good potted plant. An excellent garden landscape plants. Accent Plant.

Historic Crop: These crops were once cultivated but have been abandoned. The reasons for abandonment may include colonization, genocide, market pressures, the arrival of superior crops from elsewhere, and so forth.

Management: Standard: Plants grow to their standard height. Harvest fruit, seeds, or other products. Non-Destructive management systems.

Staple Crop: Basic Starch: The Carbon Farming Solution. Eric Toensmeier.

Historic Crop: These crops were once cultivated but have been abandoned. The reasons for abandonment may include colonization, genocide, market pressures, the arrival of superior crops from elsewhere, and so forth.

Management: Standard: Plants grow to their standard height. Harvest fruit, seeds, or other products. Non-Destructive management systems.

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

Climate: warm temperate, tropical highlands. Humidity: arid to semi-arid. Grow it in porous soil with adequate drainage. It should be grown in full sun. The leaves will keep their blue-gray colour and the plants will stay more compact. Water thoroughly when soil is dry to the touch, with supplemental water during hottest part of year. In winter watering this plant can be done once every 1-2 months, there is no need to mist the leaves. It is a cold hardy species. Agave murpheyi grows at elevations from 400 to 900 meters. Agave was cultivated by the Hohokam Indians in southern Arizona and northern Sonora, Mexico in rocky areas above the floodplain of the Santa Cruz river where more water-dependent crops were grown. The Hohokam planted agave in rockpiles about 5 ft (1.5 m) across and 2 ft (0.61 m) high. The pile of rocks around the base of the agave plant act as a mulch to help preserve moisture and prevent rodent predation. Hardy to at least -12° C. Carbon Farming Solutions - Cultivation: historic crop. Management: standard (Describes the non-destructive management systems that are used in cultivation).

Propagating it: Propagation from offshoots is the fastest and most reliable method of agave plant production. Agave are difficult to grow from seed. Seeds readily germinate but seedling establishment is rare. Temperatures exceeding 95 °F (35 °C), however, decrease germination percentages.

Best place to grow:

Habit: Perennial

Hardiness: 8-12

Growth: Slow

Soil: Light (sandy), medium, heavy (clay)

Shade: No shade

Moisture: Dry, moist

Things to keep in mind

Sharp Leaves

Its other names

Local names

Hohokam Agave, Murphey Agave, Murphey’s Century Plant, Spanish (Español): Maguey Bandeado, Maguey

Synonyms

No synonyms are recorded for this name.