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Agave parryi
Agave parryi Engelm.
Parry's Agave, Century Plant, Parry Agave
Agavaceae (Century-Plant Family)
Synonym(s):
USDA Symbol: agpa4
USDA Native Status: L48 (N)
Like all agave plants, this plant is, for several years, a rosette of stiff, succulent, sword-like leaves. These 1 ft., spine-tipped leaves eventually subtend a tall flowering stalk supporting a cluster of yellow flowers at its tip. After the plant flowers, it dies.
Agaves are often called century plants and require many years to flower, but not a century. They provided southwestern Native American with food, beverages, fiber, soap, medicine, and lances. Today the liquors mescal, pulque, and tequila are made from the juice of the Mexican species.
Plant Characteristics
Duration: PerennialHabit: Cactus/Succulent
Leaf Complexity: Simple
Fruit Type: Capsule
Size Notes: Rosette of leaves up to about 30 inches tall. Flower scape up to about 20 feet tall.
Bloom Information
Bloom Color: YellowBloom Time: Jun , Jul , Aug
Distribution
USA: AZ , NM , TXNative Distribution: NM, AZ, w. TX, south to central Mexico
Native Habitat: High deserts
Growing Conditions
Water Use: LowLight Requirement: Sun
Soil Moisture: Dry
Soil Description: Dry, rocky soils.
Benefit
Use Food: The Indians ate the stems when the stems were young.Use Other: It was important to the Indians for fiber.
Interesting Foliage: yes
Butterflies and Moths of North America (BAMONA)
Orange Giant-Skipper (Agathymus neumoegeni) ![]() Larval Host |
Huachuca Giant-Skipper (Agathymus evansi) ![]() Larval Host |
Bibliography
Bibref 1186 - Field Guide to Moths of Eastern North America (2005) Covell, C.V., Jr.Bibref 1185 - Field Guide to Western Butterflies (Peterson Field Guides) (1999) Opler, P.A. and A.B. Wright
Bibref 995 - Native Landscaping from El Paso to L.A. (2000) Wasowski, S. and A. Wasowski
Search More Titles in Bibliography
Web Reference
Webref 38 - Flora of North America (2019) Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis, MO & Harvard University Herbaria, Cambridge, MA.Webref 23 - Southwest Environmental Information Network (2009) SEINet - Arizona Chapter
From the Archive
Wildflower Newsletter 1988 VOL. 5, NO.5 - Penny Campaign Grows Oklahoma Wildflowers, Wildflower Center Collects Honors, Di...Additional resources
USDA: Find Agave parryi in USDA PlantsFNA: Find Agave parryi in the Flora of North America (if available)
Google: Search Google for Agave parryi
Metadata
Record Modified: 2025-02-07Research By: TWC Staff