Scientific name: Agave angustifolia
Popular names: Agave, Yellow-edged Agave
Family: Agavaceae
Category: Shrubs, Tropical Shrubs, Sculptural Plants
Climate: Equatorial, Mediterranean
Origin: Central America, North America, Antilles
Height: 0.6 to 0.9 m
Luminosity: Full Sun
 
The caribbean piteira is a sculptural plant very adapted to drought. Its leaves are long, stiff, sword-shaped, arranged in a rosette, with cream-white or yellow margins and have thorns on the margins and tips. The trunk is short and is used for the production of Mezcal, a generic name for Mexican liqueurs, which include the well-known tequila. Flowering occurs when the plants are mature and can take more than 10 days to happen. The inflorescence is very tall, reaching 3 meters in height and has yellow or white flowers.
In landscaping, the caribbean bushes and beds have a beautiful dramatic effect in large gardens, but isolated plants or in small numbers also fit perfectly in rock and geometric gardens. It is very rustic and its aggressive thorns are able to keep dogs and cats away, however they can be removed if they are eventually a danger to people. Due to these thorns, normally we should not plant the agave along paths and sidewalks. Because of its small size compared to other agaves, it can also be planted alone in pots.
 
They should be grown in full sun, in light soil, well drained and enriched with organic matter. Watering should be few and far between, only when the substrate dries up.
Annual fertilizers during the growth period are sufficient.
They tolerate partial shade conditions.