Agave Garden

There are two possible origins for the genus name Agave; one is from Greek mythology while the other is from the Greek agavos, meaning stately, noble or illustrious. Carl Linnaeus first described the genus in 1753 when he treated four species, one of which was Agave americana.

There is archaeological evidence that plants in the genus Agave have been used for food, fiber, and drink since 7000 B.C., and plants are still used today for tequila, mescal, pulque, sweeteners, fibrous material and even medicinal products. Flowering agaves attract a variety of pollinators including sphinx moths, bees and nectar-feeding bats. Agaves can be propagated by seed or grown from rhizomatous offsets or small plantlets called bulbils that grow on the flower stalk after flowering is finished.

Consider the incredible diversity, economic importance, and the role these plants play in the natural world as you explore the garden.