Agave The fibers are used to make rope, the leaves are used to line baking pits, and the sharp pointed leaf tips are used to make basketry awls. Agave Agave (, , ) is a genus of monocots native to the hot and arid regions of Mexico and the Southwestern United States. Some agave species are also native to tropical areas of South America. The plants are perennial, but each rosette flowers once and then dies (see semelparity). Some species are known by the name "century plant". "Agave tequilana", agave azul or blue agave, is used in the production of tequila.
Agave lechuguilla are funnel shaped in purples, reds and yellows. The plant dies after flowering. Charles Wright first collected the plant in 1849 and it was described by John Torrey in 1859. Agave lechuguilla Agave lechuguilla (common name in Chihuahua: "lechuguilla", meaning "big lettuce") is an "Agave" species found only in the Chihuahuan Desert, where it is an indicator species. It typically grows on calcareous soils. The plant flowers once in its life, then it dies. The flowers are a source of nutrients for insects, bats, and some birds. The leaves are long, tough, and rigid, with very sharp, hard points which