Agave

1
Agave

• Kingdom Plantae
• Subkingdom Tracheobionta
• Superdivision Spermophyta
• Division Magnoliophyta
• Class Liliopsida
• Subclass Liliidae
• Order Liliales
• Family Agavaceae
• Genus Agave

2
Flowering

• 20-40 ft flowering stalk
• Usually green, yellow or white bell shaped
  flowers
• Produces wind dispersed seeds, and bulbs
  (vegetative reproduction)
• Rapid growth (15cm/day)
• 30 day period1
• 3 days to anthesis (maturation of anthers)
• 5 days to maturation of pistils

1Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico
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Pollination

• Two sets of pollinators (day and night)
• Day butterflies, hummingbirds
• Little contribution towards pollination
• Night bats, moths
• Bats make up majority of pollination effort
• Without bats, seed production estimated at lt5
• In arid communities, Agave and other succulents
  constitute majority of bats diet2

2Journal of Mammalogy
4
Ecology

• Well drained rocky slopes in arid to tropical
  climates
• About 200 species
• Range from Southwest US to South America
• Some mediterranean species, plus many that have
  escaped cultivation and become established around
  the world.

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Morphology

• Rosette
• Ranges in size from 6-15
• All structure arising from single base
• Generally no stalk/trunk
• Well protected
• Leaves usually have spikes
• Heart of plant resembles pinecone
• Sweet, edible

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Uses of Agave
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Ethnobotany

• Fermented beverage Agaumeil (honeywater) into
  Maguey, Pulque, and Tequila
• As a fiber soucre, strong fibers for making rope,
  sandals, etc.
• In Aztec society one could only drink Pulque
  non-ceramoniously if over age of 52, or of Noble
  birth

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Agave as Fiber Source
Source of Sisal, a fiber comparable to hemp in
strength, ease of production, and availability
In Mexicos Yucatan Peninsula most of the
worlds rope was produced from Sisal plantations.
Play a key role in the national economy of Mexico
through 19th and early 20th centuries -leading
cash crop
Mexican Dictator Porfirio Diaz, in his project to
clear the Yaqui River Valley of barbarity, he
forced thousands of Yaqui Indians to work on
these Sisal Plantations
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Tequila

• Made from Agave tequilana (Blue Agave)
• Grown on plantations
• Plant densities 1,500 2,000 plants per acre
• Fermented by yeasts that are naturally occurring
  in Agave
• Aged in barrels
• Reposado 3-12 months aging
• Anejo 1 years aging
• Muy Anejo 5-6 years aging

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Jose Cuervo Plastic Jug BAD

• Some manufacturers speed fermentation process
• Mixto Addition of cane or brown sugar to speed
  fermentation
• Doesnt require mature plants
• Doesnt require many plants
• Makes awful tequila, as guy may be able to tell
  you