The Wacky Cactus   6 comments

Can you identify this cactus???

The flower stalk is a spectacular 20′ tall!

Posted May 31, 2013 by henrymowry in Photography

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6 responses to “The Wacky Cactus”

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  1. does it count if I know WHERE this is? 🙂 Based on the leaves, I would say it is some type of aloe.

    Reply
    Denise Tamura
    May 31, 2013 at 9:34 am

  2. Pick me. Pick me. It is neither a cactus nor an aloe. It is an agave, tequila shots all around! Commonly called a century plant or Agave americana. Like a yucca it sprouts its flower stalk and dies. Contrary to its common name it lives a few decades. Don’t cut the leaves with a power saw, the saw dust is nasty and will cause a rash worse then poison oak.

    Reply
    Chris
    May 31, 2013 at 9:40 pm

    • Excellent! Yes, it’s Agave americana. Once I knew what to look for … I found many sites with horror stories of how many people have bad, bad reactions to the watery sap in this plant when they try to cut it apart to remove it. Tequila is made from blue agave … different plant. Good tequila always specifies that it is made from blue agave, or agave azul … scientific name of Agave tequilana.

      Reply
      henrymowry
      May 31, 2013 at 10:27 pm

      • Who said we are talking good tequila, lol. It is distilled into a tequila from what I have heard. Challenge accepted?

        Reply
        Chris
        June 1, 2013 at 5:56 am

  3. Pingback: Agave Americana | MowryJournal.com

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