The Jerusalem Botanical Gardens

Common name: אגבה מפוספסת תת-מין טיפוסי, אגבה מפוספסת תת-מין טיפוסי

Family: Asparagaceae (Asparagus)

Distribution: Northern Mexico

Habitat: Drier valleys and plains, up to 500mm annual rainfall

Life form: Fibrous succulent

Etymology: Agave means noble

In memory: of Nizza Yaffe-Ovadia, a teacher of nature and life.

Description: Succulent with a dense rosette, unlike most Agave species it is composed of hundreds of needle-like leaves - 60 cm long, 1 cm wide. Each leaf is topped with a very sharp, brown or black spine. The inflorescence is about 3 m tall, the flowers are yellowish-white, 3-4 cm across, pollinated by hummingbirds. This is one of the few Agave species that are polycarpic - the plant blooms when it is approximately 10 years old, but unlike some other Agaves does not die after bearng fruit.