Jalisco the blue agave plant. It is the most famous type of mezcal produced in Mexico, and the only mezcal which is produced industrially with strict standards. The tequila industry supports large scale cultivation of the blue agave, with about 200,000 people employed through it directly or indirectly. It is named after a small town northwest of the city of Guadalajara in the center of where it is produced and the native region of the blue agave. The plant was used in pre-Hispanic times to make a ceremonial drink. The Spanish used the sweet heart of the mature plant, called a
Agave parviflora pollinated by bees such as bumblebees. This species is the smallest agave in Arizona and is sought by collectors. For this reason the species has declined in its native habitat. There are only about two dozen natural populations in Arizona. Other threats to the species include road construction and mining. The plant is valued in cultivation and has gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit. Subspecies of the plant include ssp. "parviflora" and ssp. "densiflora". Agave parviflora Agave parviflora is a species of succulent perennial flowering plant in the asparagus family, known by the common names Santa Cruz