The succulent leaves of most Agave species have sharp marginal teeth, an extremely sharp terminal spine, and are very fibrous inside. The stout stem is usually extremely short, which may make the plant appear as … See more

Some species contain components in their juice which can cause dermatitis for some people. See more

The genus name Agave come from the Ancient Greek αγαυή agauê from ἀγαυός agauós meaning "illustrious, noble" having to do with very tall flower spikes found on its many species.
The genus Agave was erected by Carl Linnaeus See more

Agave species are used as food plants by the larvae of some Lepidoptera (butterfly and moth) species, including Batrachedra striolata, which has been recorded on A. shawii. See more

The ethnobotany of the agave was described by William H. Prescott in 1843:
But the miracle of nature was the great Mexican aloe, or maguey, whose clustering pyramids … See more