Agave americana L., Asparagaceae

Click on an image for links to BIGGER PICTURES

Present on Pacific Islands?  yes

Primarily a threat at high elevations?  no

Risk assessment results: 

High risk, score: 12:  (Go to the risk assessment (Pacific)).
Reject, score: 14 (Go to the risk assessment (U.S. Florida)).

Common name(s): [more details]

Chamorro: maguey

Chinese: long she lan

English: American agave, American-aloe, century-plant, malina

French: agave d'Amérique, choca, pite

Spanish: cubuya negra, maguey, penco, pita común

Habit:  succulent

Description:  "Plants acaulescent or short-stemmed, commonly suckering, trunks less than 2 m; rosettes not cespitose, 10-20 x 20-37 dm. Leaves erect, spreading to ascending, occasionally reflexed, 80-200 x 15-25 cm; blade light green to green or glaucous-gray, sometimes variegated or cross-zoned, narrowly to broadly lanceolate, smooth, rigid; margins nearly straight or undulate to crenate, armed, teeth single, 5-10 mm, 1-4 cm apart; apical spine dark brown to grayish, conical or subulate, 2-6 cm. Scape 5-9 m. Inflorescences paniculate, not bulbiferous; bracts persistent, triangular, 5-15 cm; lateral branches 15-35, horizontal to slightly ascending, comprising distal 1/3-1/2 of inflorescence, longer than 10 cm. Flowers erect, 7-10.5 cm; perianth yellow, tube funnelform to cylindric, 8-20 x 12-20 mm, limb lobes erect, subequal, 20-35 mm; stamens long-exserted; filaments inserted above mid perianth tube, erect, yellow, 6-9 cm; anthers yellow, 25-35 mm; ovary 3-4.5 cm, neck constricted, 3-6(-8) mm. Capsules short-pedicellate, oblong, 3.5-8 cm, apex beaked. Seeds 6-8 mm"  (Flora of North America).

"Stout, succulent, rhizomatous perennial, with leaves in a basal rosette. Rigid, leathery, hairless, fleshy leaves (1-2 m x 15 cm) are triangular in cross section, with margins lined with raised, coarse 5 mm teeth 4 cm apart, and tipped with a conical, hard spine (25 mm long). Flowering stems, which are 7-10 m tall and produced rapidly at maturity (after 10-15 years), are candelabra-like clusters of many yellow flowers borne on branches off the main stem which are followed by seed capsules containing black seeds (5 cm long). After flowering the basal rosette dies and is replaced by several small lateral rosettes (daughters)"  (Weedbusters New Zealand).

Description from the Flora of China online.

Habitat/ecology:  "Moving and consolidated sand, cliffs, estuarine and other coastal areas, cliffs, bluffs, rocky areas, and inshore islands. Tolerates extreme drought, wind, salt, high temperatures, poor soil and low fertility, recovers from damage and is not grazed by stock, is long-lived and has no known parasites. It is taller than other plants in the habitat. New daughter plants are formed via short rhizomes, and succulent leaves resprout from fragments"  (Weedbusters New Zealand).  "Coastal bluffs and cliffs, dunes, rocky places, savanna, disturbed sites"  (Weber, 2003; p. 26).  Subtropical to warm-temperate regions in its native habitat. In Fiji, "cultivated from sea level to about 250 m" (Smith, 1979; p. 154). In New Caledonia, "existe aujourd'hui dans des fourrés secondaires sans être très envahissant" (MacKee, 1994; p. 12).

Propagation:  "Daughter plants, seed and stem fragments are carried to new sites by ocean tides, by deliberate plantings, soil movement especially down banks, dumped vegetation, and naturally as garden escapes"  (Weedbusters New Zealand).

Native range:  United States (Texas) and Mexico (GRIN).

Presence:

Pacific
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Australia (Pacific offshore islands) Lord Howe Island	Lord Howe Island	introduced invasive	Orchard, Anthony E., ed. (1994) (p. 21) "A garden escape now propagating itself by suckers". Voucher cited: J.G. Conran 628 (K, NSW)
Chile (offshore islands) Juan Fernández Islands	Isla Más a Tierra (Robinson Crusoe Island)	introduced invasive cultivated	Atkinson, Rachel/Sawyer, John (2011)
Chile (offshore islands) Juan Fernández Islands	Isla Más a Tierra (Robinson Crusoe Island)	introduced invasive cultivated	Danton, Philippe/Perrier, Christophe/Martinez Reyes, Guido (2006) (pp. 472, 518, 550) "En RC, está presente a orillas del Fuerte Santa Bárbara y en algunos jardines del pueblo de San Juan Bautista, donde se encuentra bien establecida y se reproduce mucho. Esta especie debe ser vigilada muy de cerca y mejor vale conteneria que dejaria abandonada".
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (US) Northern Mariana Islands	Pagan Island	introduced cultivated	Fosberg, F. R./Falanruw, M. V. C./Sachet, M.-H. (1975) (p. 18) Persisting from planting.
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (US) Northern Mariana Islands	Pagan Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1954) (voucher ID: BISH 596152) Taxon name on voucher: Agave americana Linnaeus
Cook Islands Cook Islands	Cook Islands	cultivated	McCormack, Gerald (2013)
Ecuador (Galápagos Islands) Isabela Group	Isabela Island	introduced cultivated	Charles Darwin Foundation (2008) Observed in survey, no herbarium record.
Ecuador (Galápagos Islands) San Cristóbal Group	San Cristóbal Island	introduced cultivated	Charles Darwin Foundation (2008)
Ecuador (Galápagos Islands) Santa Cruz Group	Santa Cruz Island	introduced cultivated	Charles Darwin Foundation (2008)
Fiji Fiji Islands	Viti Levu Island	introduced cultivated	Smith, Albert C. (1979) (p. 154) Voucher cited: DA 16753
Fiji Fiji Islands	Viti Levu Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1969) (voucher ID: BISH 34102) Taxon name on voucher: Agave americana Linnaeus
Fiji Fiji Islands	Viti Levu Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1969) (voucher ID: BISH 699211) Taxon name on voucher: Agave americana Linnaeus
Fiji Fiji Islands	Viti Levu Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1969) (voucher ID: BISH 699212) Taxon name on voucher: Agave americana Linnaeus
French Polynesia French Polynesia Islands	French Polynesia Islands		Waterhouse, D. F. (1997) (p. 59)
French Polynesia Marquesas Islands	Nuku Hiva (Nukahiva) Island	introduced cultivated	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2013) Cultivée
French Polynesia Society Islands	Tahiti Island	introduced	Fosberg, F. R. (1997) (p. 64)
French Polynesia Society Islands	Tahiti Island	introduced cultivated	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2013) Cultivée
French Polynesia Tuamotu Archipelago	Makatea (Ma‘atea) Island	introduced cultivated	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2013) Cultivée
French Polynesia Austral (Tubuai) Islands	Rurutu Island	introduced cultivated	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2013) Cultivée
Guam Guam Island	Guam Island	introduced cultivated	Stone, Benjamin C. (1970) (p. 130)
Guam Guam Island	Guam Island	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1987) (p. 99)
Japan (offshore islands) Ogasawara (Bonin) Islands	Bonin (Ogasawara) Islands	introduced invasive	Toyoda, Takeshi (2003) (p. 291) Naturalized
Japan (offshore islands) Ogasawara (Bonin) Islands	Bonin (Ogasawara) Islands	introduced	Kato, Hidetoshi (2007)
Kiribati Tungaru (Gilbert) Islands	Tarawa Atoll		Swarbrick, John T. (1997) (p. 88) Presence not verified
Nauru Nauru Island	Nauru Island	introduced cultivated	Thaman, R. R./Fosberg, F. R./Manner, H. I./Hassall, D. C. (1994) (p. 53) Voucher cited: Thaman & Manner 68 (SUVA)
New Caledonia New Caledonia	New Caledonia Islands		Swarbrick, John T. (1997) (p. 88)
New Caledonia New Caledonia Archipelago	Île Grande Terre	introduced invasive	MacKee, H. S. (1994) (p. 12) Vouchers cited: MacKee 15051, MacKee 24783 Spontané
Palau Palau (Belau ) (main island group)	Angaur (Ngeaur) Island	introduced cultivated	Space, James C./Waterhouse, Barbara/Miles, Joel E./Tiobech, Joseph/Rengulbai, Kashgar (2003) (p. 88) Agave sp.
Palau Palau (Belau ) (main island group)	Babeldaob Island	introduced invasive	Space, James C./Waterhouse, Barbara/Miles, Joel E./Tiobech, Joseph/Rengulbai, Kashgar (2003) (p. 84) Agave sp.
Palau Palau (Belau ) (main island group)	Koror (Oreor) Island	introduced cultivated	Space, James C./Waterhouse, Barbara/Miles, Joel E./Tiobech, Joseph/Rengulbai, Kashgar (2003) (p. 79) Agave sp.
Palau Palau (Belau ) (main island group)	Ngercheu Island	introduced cultivated	Space, James C./Waterhouse, Barbara/Miles, Joel E./Tiobech, Joseph/Rengulbai, Kashgar (2003) (p. 92) (Carp Resort) Agave sp.
Palau Palau (Belau ) (main island group)	Ngerkebesang Island	introduced cultivated	Space, James C./Waterhouse, Barbara/Miles, Joel E./Tiobech, Joseph/Rengulbai, Kashgar (2003) (p. 79) Agave sp.
Palau Palau (Belau ) (main island group)	Peleliu (Beliliou) Island	introduced cultivated	Space, James C./Waterhouse, Barbara/Miles, Joel E./Tiobech, Joseph/Rengulbai, Kashgar (2003) (p. 90)
Papua New Guinea Bismarck Archipelago	Bismarck Archipelago	introduced cultivated	Peekel, P. G. [translated by E. E. Henty] (1984) (p. 91)
Tonga Tonga Islands	Tonga Islands		Swarbrick, John T. (1997) (p. 88)
Wallis and Futuna Wallis and Futuna (Horne) Islands	Wallis (‘Uvea) Island	introduced cultivated	Meyer, Jean-Yves (2007) (p. 25) Agave cf. americana

Pacific Rim
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Australia Australia (continental)	New South Wales	introduced invasive	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013) Naturalized
Australia Australia (continental)	Australia (continental)	introduced	Weber, Ewald (2003) (p. 26)
Australia Australia (continental)	Queensland	introduced invasive	Queensland Herbarium (2002) (p. 1)
China China	China (People's Republic of)	introduced invasive cultivated	Zhengyi, Wu/Raven, Peter H./Deyuan, Hong (2013) Widely cultivated. Naturalized in S. China.
China China	Hong Kong	introduced cultivated	Wu, Te-lin (2001) (p. 365)
Japan Japan	Japan	introduced	Mito, Toshikazu/Uesugi, Tetsuro (2004) (p. 191)
Mexico Mexico	Mexico (United Mexican States)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
New Zealand New Zealand	New Zealand (country)	introduced invasive	Healy, A. J./Edgar, E. (1980) (p. 66) Voucher cited: W.R.B. Oliver, Feb., 1942 (WELT) Garden outcast
Singapore Singapore	Singapore (Republic of)	introduced cultivated	Chong, Kwek Yan/Tan, Hugh T. W./Corlett, Richard T. (2009) (p. 10) Cultivated only

Indian Ocean
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
La Réunion (France) La Réunion Island	La Réunion Island	introduced cultivated	Lavergne, Christophe (2006) "Cultivé"
Seychelles Seychelles Islands	Agalega Island	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Stoddart, D. R. (1983) (p. 126)

Also reported from
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
United States (continental except west coast) United States (other states)	United States (other states)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013) Texas

Comments:  Also reported invasive in the Canary Islands.

Control:  "Dropped leaf fragments resprout and daughter plants are occasionally missed.  Exclude livestock permanently from sites. Always kill plants before they seed, i.e. before flowers appear on tall flowering stem. Follow up on sites at least annually.

Physical:  Dig out small plants (all year round). Dispose of all pieces at a refuse transfer station.

Chemical:  1. Stem inject: 4-10 jabs (depending on size of plant) of 5 ml undiluted glyphosate. Leave to rot on site. 
2. Cut and squirt: slash 4-10 lengthwise cuts (depending on size of plant) and apply 5 ml undiluted glyphosate to each cut. Leave to rot on site. 
3. Bore: pour 1 part Tordon Gold to 5 parts water into augured holes in each leaf.
4. Cut down and paint stump: cut at ground level, apply (200ml/L) glyphosate to stump, and dispose of leaves at a refuse transfer station"  (Weedbusters New Zealand).