Scientific Family
Agavaceae
Other common names
Parry's century plant
mescal
Plant type
Agaves
Plant Description
Origin
Native
Forms a tight, nearly round rosette of stiff, succulent, sword-like leaves. Sends up a tall flowering stalk when the plant is 20 or
more years old and then dies. New plants already formed on the root system take over.
Height
12 to 20 inches
Width
2 to 3 feet
Habitat
Plant Community
Pinyon Juniper Woodlands
Interior Chaparral
Grasslands
Low elevation
4500
High elevation
8000
Flowers
Flower color
Yellow
Flower shape
Regular
Tubular
Yes
First bloom month
June
Last bloom month
August
Flower clusters
Rounded
Buds reddish-orange and then after opening turns yellow. Six petal-like parts to 2-1/2 inches long face skyward in large flattened
terminal clusters.
Leaves
Leaf color
Gray-green
Leaf type
Other
Leaf shape
Other
Leaf margin
Toothed
Leaf hairs
None
Leaf Drop
Evergreen
Spatula shaped. Leaf narrows at the base.
Spines
Yes
Spines on margins and tips of leaves. The spine on tip of the leaf is darker.
Fruit
Fruit color
Black
Fruit type
Capsule
A capsule with flat, black seeds.