Dwarf sisal, Carribean agave
Agave vivipara

Family: Asparagaceae

What it is like

A small leafy agave. It grows 60-300 cm high. It can form suckers. The leaves are sword shaped and fibrous. They can be flat or have a gutter. There are small hooked teeth along the edge. It flowers are maturity. The flowers are trumpet shaped and greenish-yellow. The flowering stalk can be 5 m long. The bracts are purple and triangle shaped.

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

Where it is found

It grows well in the tropics. It suits hardiness zones 9-11. It suits semiarid to seasonally moist and dry climates. It grows well on a gritty, well drained soil. It can grow in full sun or light shade. In Brisbane Botanical Gardens. (As Agave vivipara)

Countries/locations it is found in

Antigua and Barbuda, Asia, Australia, Canada, Central America (country/location of origin), Costa Rica, India, Indonesia, Mexico (country/location of origin), North America, Panama, SE Asia, Singapore

How it is used for food

Edible parts

Leaves, buds

How it is grown

It can be grown from cuttings or suckers. It can also be grown from seed.

Its other names

Local names

Agave karibia, Kantala

Synonyms

Agave angustifolia Haw. [Illegitimate]; Agave vivipara var. vivipara; Agave wightii Prain & Drummond; and several others