• Photo of Agave parryi (Agave parryis)

Plant Profile: Agave parryi

Taxonomy: Agave parryi

Names

Century Plant, Parry's Agave

  • Photo of Agave parryi (Agave parryis)

Phonetic Spelling:a-GAH-vay PAIR-ree-eye

Genus:Agave

Species:parryi

Family:Asparagaceae

Parry's Agave is a perennial plant that forms a rosette and is indigenous to the arid regions of North and Central America. It thrives in well-drained soils and full sunlight, showcasing striking geometric shapes along with its slate gray-blue leaves, making it a perfect addition to a sun garden. In suitable climates, this evergreen plant maintains its rosette of foliage throughout the winter months.

The plant produces tall flower stalks that can reach heights of 10 to 20 feet, with each rosette generating a single stalk. These summer-blooming flowers are light yellow and give rise to seed pods. Once the flowering process is complete, the original rosette will perish, but new rosettes will emerge from suckers originating from the parent plant.

Traditionally, indigenous peoples of the Americas utilized this plant for various purposes, including the production of fibers, soap, food, and medicinal applications.

Additionally, it is important to note that Parry's Agave tends to produce suckers readily, and it is susceptible to root rot if planted in overly moist conditions.

For further details on Agave, please refer to additional resources.

Agave parryi Feature Summary

Agave parryi Image Gallery

Tags

#evergreen
#yellow
#full sun tolerant
#drought tolerant
#specimen
#green
#succulent
#green flowers
#yellow flowers
#winter interest
#accent plant
#agave
#contrast
#coarse
#sandy soils tolerant
#dry soils tolerant
#container plants

Similar Plants

Agave parryi Feature Summary

Attributes
Native Americans used this plant for its fibers, to make soap, and medicine. It was also eaten. The liquid from a plant that is about to flower can be fermented to make pulque which can be distilled into tequila or mescal.
AZ, NM and northern Mexico elevations of 4,000-8,000 feet
Perennial
Fruit
Flowers
Rarely flowers. Creamy yellow to green flowers on 6 to 15-foot stalk. It rarely flowers, taking 10-15 years, and dies after flowering but suckers at the base continue to grow.
Gold/Yellow
Green
Leaves
Basal rosette of 2-foot, semi-succulent, gray-green to blue-gray, thick, toothed leaves in a tight whorl; dark terminal spine
Green
Gray/Silver
Blue
Whorled
Rosulate
Ovate
Oblong
> 6 inches
Prickly
Leathery
Rough
3-6 inches
Whole Plant Traits
Perennial
Edible
Succulent
Clumping
Coarse
Cultural Conditions
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Good Drainage
7a
7b
8b
8a
9a
9b
10a
10b
Sand
Shallow Rocky
Landscape
Drought Tolerant Garden
Winter Garden
Accent
Specimen
Container
Patio
Small Space

Agave parryi Attributes

Agave parryi: Uses (Ethnobotany)

Native Americans used this plant for its fibers, to make soap, and medicine. It was also eaten. The liquid from a plant that is about to flower can be fermented to make pulque which can be distilled into tequila or mescal.

Agave parryi: Country Or Region Of Origin

US and Mexico

Agave parryi: Distribution

AZ, NM and northern Mexico elevations of 4,000-8,000 feet

Agave parryi: Particularly Resistant To (Insects/Diseases/Other Problems)

drought, dry and sandy soil

Agave parryi: Life Cycle

Annual
Biennial
Bulb
Perennial
Woody

Agave parryi Fruit

Agave parryi: Fruit Description

Seed pods

Agave parryi Flowers

Agave parryi: Flower Description

Rarely flowers. Creamy yellow to green flowers on 6 to 15-foot stalk. It rarely flowers, taking 10-15 years, and dies after flowering but suckers at the base continue to grow.

Agave parryi: Flower Color

filter_vintage
Gold/Yellow
filter_vintage
Green

Agave parryi: Flower Value To Gardener

Edible
Fragrant
Good Cut
Good Dried
Long Bloom Season
Long-lasting
Showy

Agave parryi Leaves

Agave parryi: Leaf Description

Basal rosette of 2-foot, semi-succulent, gray-green to blue-gray, thick, toothed leaves in a tight whorl; dark terminal spine

Agave parryi: Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics

Broadleaf Evergreen
Deciduous
Needled Evergreen
Semi-evergreen

Agave parryi: Leaf Color

spa
Blue
spa
Gray/Silver
spa
Green

Agave parryi: Leaf Type

Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
Fronds
Needles
Sheath
Simple

Agave parryi: Leaf Arrangement

Alternate
Opposite
Other/more complex
Rosulate
Whorled

Agave parryi: Leaf Shape

Acicular
Auriculate
Cordate
Cuneate
Deltoid
Elliptical
Filiform
Lanceolate
Linear
Oblanceolate
Oblong
Obovate
Obtuse
Orbicular
Ovate
Palmasect
Palmatifid
Peltate
Pinnatifid
Pinnatisect
Reniform
Rhomboidal
Spatulate
Subcordate
Subulate

Agave parryi: Leaf Margin

Crenate
Crenulate
Dentate
Denticulate
Doubly Crenate
Doubly Dentate
Doubly Serrate
Entire
Lobed
Serrate
Sinuate
Undulate

Agave parryi: Hairs Present

No
Yes

Agave parryi: Leaf Length

< 1 inch
1-3 inches
3-6 inches
> 6 inches

Agave parryi: Leaf Feel

Fleshy
Glossy
Leathery
Papery
Prickly
Rough
Rubbery
Slippery
Smooth
Soft
Velvety
Waxy

Agave parryi: Leaf Value To Gardener

Edible
Fragrant
Good Cut
Good Dried
Long-lasting
Showy

Agave parryi: Leaf Width

< 1 inch
1-3 inches
3-6 inches
> 6 inches

Agave parryi Whole Plant Traits

Agave parryi: Plant Type

Annual
Bulb
Carnivorous
Edible
Epiphyte
Fern
Ground Cover
Herb
Herbaceous Perennial
Houseplant
Mushroom
Native Plant
Ornamental Grasses and Sedges
Perennial
Poisonous
Rose
Shrub
Succulent
Tree
Turfgrass
Vegetable
Vine
Water Plant
Weed
Wildflower

Agave parryi: Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics

Broadleaf Evergreen
Deciduous
Needled Evergreen
Semi-evergreen

Agave parryi: Habit/Form

Arching
Ascending
Broad
Cascading
Climbing
Clumping
Columnar
Conical
Creeping
Dense
Erect
Horizontal
Irregular
Mounding
Multi-stemmed
Multi-trunked
Open
Oval
Prostrate
Pyramidal
Rounded
Spreading
Vase
Weeping

Agave parryi: Growth Rate

Slow
Medium
Rapid

Agave parryi: Maintenance

Low
Medium
High

Agave parryi: Texture

Fine
Medium
Coarse

Agave parryi Cultural Conditions

Agave parryi: Light

Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day)
Deep shade (Less than 2 hours to no direct sunlight)
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)

Agave parryi: Soil Drainage

Frequent Standing Water
Good Drainage
Moist
Occasional Flooding
Occasionally Dry
Occasionally Wet
Very Dry

Agave parryi: Available Space To Plant

12 inches-3 feet
12-24 feet
24-60 feet
3 feet-6 feet
6-feet-12 feet
Less than 12 inches
more than 60 feet

Agave parryi: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone

thermostat
10a
thermostat
10b
thermostat
7a
thermostat
7b
thermostat
8a
thermostat
8b
thermostat
9a
thermostat
9b

Agave parryi: Soil Texture

Clay
High Organic Matter
Loam (Silt)
Sand
Shallow Rocky

Agave parryi Stem

Agave parryi: Stem Is Aromatic

No
Yes

Agave parryi Landscape

Agave parryi: Landscape Theme

Asian Garden
Butterfly Garden
Children's Garden
Cottage Garden
Cutting Garden
Drought Tolerant Garden
Edible Garden
English Garden
Fairy Garden
Garden for the Blind
Native Garden
Nighttime Garden
Pollinator Garden
Rain Garden
Rock Garden
Shade Garden
Water Garden
Winter Garden

Agave parryi: Design Feature

Accent
Barrier
Border
Flowering Tree
Foundation Planting
Hedge
Mass Planting
Screen/Privacy
Security
Shade Tree
Small groups
Small Tree
Specimen
Street Tree
Understory Tree

Agave parryi: Resistance To Challenges

Black Walnut
Compaction
Deer
Diseases
Drought
Dry Soil
Erosion
Fire
Foot Traffic
Heat
Heavy Shade
Humidity
Insect Pests
Pollution
Poor Soil
Rabbits
Salt
Slugs
Squirrels
Storm damage
Urban Conditions
Voles
Wet Soil
Wind

Agave parryi: Landscape Location

Coastal
Container
Hanging Baskets
Houseplants
Lawn
Meadow
Naturalized Area
Near Septic
Patio
Pond
Pool/Hardscape
Recreational Play Area
Riparian
Rock Wall
Slope/Bank
Small Space
Vertical Spaces
Walkways
Woodland