Desert Agave, Utah Aloe, Utah Agave
Agave utahensis

Family: Asparagaceae

What it is like

A succulent plant. It is usually small and clumping. It grows 4 m tall. It spreads 25-40 cm across. The leaves are grey-green. They are 15-30 cm long. There are teeth along the edge. These are hooked and grey. The flowering stalk is 1.5-2.4 m tall. The flowers are yellow.

There are about 250 Agave species. The Agavaceae are mostly in the tropics and subtropics.

Where it is found

It is a temperate to subtropical plant. It grows naturally in south-western North America in the Grand Canyon on dry stony limestone slopes between 1000 - 1500 metres. It suits hardiness zones 7-11.

Countries/locations it is found in

Australia, North America, Slovenia, USA

How it is used for food

The bulb of the root is roasted and eaten. The heart of the plant can be eaten after baking. It is sweet but fibrous. The seed is ground into flour and used to thicken soups. The flower stalk can be roasted and used like asparagus. The roots are eaten cooked. Sap from the cut flowering stems can be used as a syrup. It is fermented into an alcoholic drink. Caution: Alcohol is a cause of cancer.

Edible parts

Seeds, bulb, flower stalks, leaf bases

How it is grown

Plants can be grown from seed. Seed should be sown on the surface and germinate in 1-3 months at 20°C. The seedlings should be grown in a sunny position until 20 cm tall. Plants can also be grown from offshoots.

Its other names

Local names

Utaška agava

Synonyms

Agave newberryi Engelm.; Agave newberyi Engelm.; Agave scaphoidea Greenm. & Ronst.; Agave utahensis subsp. utahensis; Agave utahensis var. utahensis;