Native Plants

Q. Who is Mr. Smarty Plants?

A: There are those who suspect Wildflower Center volunteers are the culpable and capable culprits. Yet, others think staff members play some, albeit small, role. You can torture us with your plant questions, but we will never reveal the Green Guru's secret identity.

Help us grow by giving to the Plant Database Fund or by becoming a member

Did you know you can access the Native Plant Information Network with your web-enabled smartphone?

Ask Mr. Smarty Plants

Ask Mr. Smarty Plants is a free service provided by the staff and volunteers at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.

Search Smarty Plants

See a list of all Smarty Plants questions

Please forgive us, but Mr. Smarty Plants has been overwhelmed by a flood of mail and must take a break for awhile to catch up. We hope to be accepting new questions again soon. Thank you!

Need help with plant identification, visit the plant identification page.

rate this answer

4 ratings

Sunday - August 09, 2009

From: St. Petersburg FL, FL
Region: Southeast
Topic: Propagation
Title: Propagation of Century Plant in St. Petersburg FL
Answered by: Barbara Medford

QUESTION:

CENTURY PLANT PROPAGATION

ANSWER:

Apparently, you are a person of few words, but we get your drift. In our Native Plant Database, there are nine plants with the common name "Century plant." All are members of the genus Agave, and not a single one is native to Florida, or even close. Agave americana (American century plant) has these propagation instructions on our website page:

Propagation

Propagation Material: Seeds
Description: Division by offshoot of pups, seed
Commercially Avail: yes
Maintenance: Removal of old lower leaves or dead plants can be difficult due to size and leaf tip spines.

From the Master Gardeners of the University of Arizona, Pima County Cooperative Extension, we found this information page on Century Plant. From Floridata, of all places, more information on Agave americana.

To quote from one of our own previous answers:

"Agaves produce new smaller plants around their base. All you need do is remove the pups from the mother plant using a trowel or knife and put them in smaller pots with the same kind of soil mixture that your original plant has been thriving in. If you don't know what the original is growing in, nurseries carry "cactus mix" potting soil which is grittier and more like the desert ground the plants are used to. Keep them watered, but let the soil dry a bit between waterings so they don't rot. These pups can have very long roots that connect them to the mother plant, but you can break them off to about the same length as the height of the plant or whatever will fit in your new pot. Even if you think you have lost too much of the root, pot it up anyway and see what happens. Agaves are very hardy and forgiving plants!"

Agave americana