Accession Count: 1
Common Name:
mezcal pelòn, bald agave
Family Name:
Asparagaceae
Botanical Name:
Agave pelona
Sub Species:
Variety:
Forma:
Cultivar:
Characteristics:
The bald agave grows a dense rosette with dark green and red leaves. 2 The solitary rosette grows up to 3 feet tall, with leaves one and a half inches to two inches wide and twelve to eighteen inches long (1,2). The leaf margins are toothless and form an apical spine that has a red coloration and can get up to 3 inches long (2). These leaves are in a no-sucker agave that blooms a striking, wine-red flower. The flower stalk produced form in late spring. These stalks are usually around 6-10 feet. The flowers are densely packed, forming a striking wine-red color (3). These plants are winter evergreens and act as an accent life form.
Compound:
Aga pel
Geographic Origin:
Northern Mexico
Ecozone Origin:
Nearctic
Biome Origin:
Natural History:
The bald agave occurs only in 3 small mountain ranges that are extremely arid. These mountain ranges are in Sonora, Mexico. The bald agave's name, pelona, originates from the Spanish word meaning bald. This goes perfectly with its morphological features being hairless (3).
Cultivation Notes:
The bald agave is a very decorative plant that does well in pots. This makes it an excellent landscaping plant, and it grows well with perennials and other succulents. It also blooms a flowering spike that reaches six to ten feet tall. The bald agave can only be propagated by seeds (4). This species is semi-hardy and can tolerate freezing conditions down to 25 F for short periods (4).
Ethnobotany:
Humans often use the bald agave for landscaping. This plant makes an excellent container plant, is well suited to perennial and succulent gardens, and attracts pollinators and nectar eaters. This plant has been known to produce very sweet mescal, but the prevalence and size make this plant not well-used agave (3).
Height:
0 - 5 feet
Width:
0 - 5 feet
Growth Rate:
Moderate Growing
Grow Season:
Spring
Flower Season:
ForeSummer
Color:
Red
Function:
Accent
Spread:
Non-spreading
Allergen:
Non-allergenic
Invasive:
Benign
Toxicity:
Benign
Hardy:
Hardy
Water Use:
Low water Use
