False Agave (Hechtia texensis)

   

False Agave grown in a pot to allow movement to a protected area during cold weather. Chihuahuan Desert Gardens, Centennial Museum, University of Texas at El Paso. Photograph by A.H. Harris.

• Common English Names: False Agave, Texas False Agave, Big Bend Hechtia
• Common Spanish Names:
• Scientific Name: Hechtia texensis (HECK-tee-uh tex-EN-sis)
• Family: Bromeliaceae (Pineapple Family)
• Geographic Range: Big Bend of Texas; Coahuila, Mexico.
• Plant Form: Basal rosette of semi-succulent leaves to 20" diameter
• Remarks: Fragrant white flowers on a flowering stalk to 6' tall; blooms from February to May. Leaves with terminal spine and widely spaced spines on the leaf edges. Full sun to light shade, light water. Not temperature hardy.

Last Update: 4 Jul 2002