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Care of the plant Agave macroacantha or Black-spined agave.

Care of the succulent plant Agave macroacantha or Black-spined agave

The Agave genus, a subfamily of the Agavoideae, comprises some 300 species of succulent plants native to Mexico, Central America and the Southwest of the USA. Some species are: Agave macroacantha, Agave filifera, Agave bracteosa, Agave guadalajaranaAgave attenuata, Agave americana, Agave stricta, Agave potatorum, Agave victoria-reginae, Agave striata, Agave deserti, Agave chiapensis, Agave ferox, Agave sisalana, Agave ferdinandi-regis, Agave shawii, Agave parrasana, Agave parryi, Agave angustifolia, Agave impressaAgave vilmorinianaAgave univittataAgave lechuguillaAgave datylio.

Common names: Black-spined agave, Large-thorned agave. This species is native to South of Mexico.

They are compact and slow growing evergreen succulent plants that reach 70 cm (2.29 feet) in height. The leaves are fleshy, grayish-green in color and have dark spines on the margin and a long black spine (3 cm/1.18") at the tip. When they bloom (they take several years and die) they produce a long flower stem up to 3 meters (9.84 feet) high.

Black-spined agave can be used in rockeries, as isolated specimens, in cactus gardens or in large pots. Be careful with spines, especially if there are children.

Agave macroacantha needs direct sun exposure and high temperatures. They can tolerate low intensity frosts.

The soil should be well drained; They can be grown in poor, dry, sandy or rocky terrain.

Large-thorned agave will be watered moderately always waiting until the soil has dried; they have very good resistance to drought. In the middle of autumn, suspend irrigation.

Agave macroacantha can be fertilized once in spring with mineral fertilizer for cacti and succulents.

Pruning is not necessary.

Black-spined agave is a plant that are not usually attacked by the usual pests and diseases.

The easiest way to propagate them is from the shoots produced by the plant, which can be separated when the pot is transplanted. It's also possible to do it from seeds sown in spring in a seedbed.

Images of the succulent plant Agave macroacantha or Black-spined agave

Agave macroacantha
Agave macroacantha
Agave macroacantha
Agave macroacantha
Agave macroacantha