Accession Count: 9
Common Name:
little flowered agave
Family Name:
Asparagaceae
Botanical Name:
Agave parviflora
Sub Species:
Variety:
Forma:
Cultivar:
Characteristics:
The small flower agave has a symmetrical singular, or caespitose vegetative rosette with dark green, four inches long, and eighth inch wide leaves (3,5). The leaf tips of this species has sharp spines. The short-acuminate leaves contain a waxy coating resulting in distinctive white markings on the leaf blade and margins (3,5). The leaf margins are smooth but shed a long fiber, appearing as a white hair that bends off as it approaches the terminal. The basal section of these white hairs contains minute toothed structures. The flower stalk forms around 15 years of age, signaling the end of life for this mother plant. The flower stalk produced by the small flower agave is one of the smallest among the members of the agave family, only reaching 3-4 feet (3). The yellow-cream colored tubular flowers appear on the stalk in groups of 1-4 as a terminal spike (2). These dusty, but dark green plants are winter evergreens (1).
Compound:
Aga parv
Geographic Origin:
Arizona; Sonora
Ecozone Origin:
Nearctic
Biome Origin:
Natural History:
The small flower agave originated in Southern Arizona and Northeastern Sonora at elevations of three- to five-thousand feet. Usually, the small flower agave occurs on rocky slopes of semi-desert grasslands and oak woodlands (2). In 2023, the US Forest Service considered the small flowered agave endangered and enforces its protection as a safeguard to avoid critically endangered status (4).
Cultivation Notes:
These plants grow well in the ground but get lost among other vegetation. Their size, and interesting ornamental leaves, suit them for singly or in groups in container gardens. Providing a small amount of shade will help to prevent sunburning. Usually, the plant is fast growing in the summertime when given enough water. The little flowered agave grows best in well-draining soil and is cold hardy. This type of agave is cold hardy down to 5°C (3). The little flowered agave proliferates pups quickly and can be propagated by leaves, seeds, offsets, or cuttings (6).
Ethnobotany:
People use the small flower agave as a landscape ornamental plant. Containerized plants do well as specimens, while also attracting hummingbirds when in bloom (1). Ethnobotany research for the little flowered agave is limited, but other plants in the same family have been found to be very useful.
Height:
0 - 5 feet
Width:
0 - 5 feet
Growth Rate:
Moderate Growing
Grow Season:
ForeSummer
Flower Season:
Summer
Color:
Yellow
Function:
Accent
Spread:
Non-spreading
Allergen:
Non-allergenic
Invasive:
Benign
Toxicity:
Benign
Hardy:
Hardy
Water Use:
Low water Use
