Description

General aspect and origins - Agave americana, also known as century plant, is a succulent with pointed leaves that is native to Mexico and which has spread to many Mediterranean regions.
Leaves - Century plant has large lanceolate leaves with thick points, sharp tips and toothed margins. Foliage is blue-green, and forms basal rosettes. Each leave can be up to 6.5 ft (about 2 m) long.
Flowers - It may take 10 to 15 years for century plant to bloom, and sometimes much longer. There is one unique flower stalk per rosette. It can reach more than 30 ft (10 m) tall, and bears yellow-green flowers. Agave americana is a monocarpic succulent, and thus the rosette will die after flowering. But generally the mother rosette will have produced many offsets in the meantime.

Culture

Century plant is relatively frost resistant, and may withstand negative temperatures of 24°F to 14°F (-5°C to -10°C), provided the ground is perfectly drained.
Beware of the century plant needle-sharp spines.
Soil - Agave americana requires a very well drained ground to thrive. This condition is important, especially in areas where occasional frosts can occur.

Propagation

Century plant is generally propagated rooting the offsets of the main plant. Also, propagation by seeds is possible.