Agave lechuguilla (Lechuguilla)

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Agave lechuguilla Torr.

Lechuguilla, shin dagger

Kingdom	Plantae	Plants, but not fungi, lichens, or algae
Subkingdom	Tracheobionta	Vascular plants—plants with a “circulatory system” for delivering water and nutrients
Division	Magnoliophyta	Flowering plants, also known as angiosperms
Class	Liliopsida	Monocots (plants with a single seed leaf); includes the lily family
Subclass	Liliidae	Includes lilies, orchids, and many others
Order	Asparagales	A diverse group that includes asparagus
Family	Asparagaceae	Agaves, asparagus, hyacinths, and others
Genus	Agave	From Greek, meaning “noble”
Species	lechuguilla	Named for the Lechuguilla Desert in Arizona, one of the places where these are found

About plant names...

Lechuguilla is a common North American native species. It is an indicator species of the Chihuahuan Desert. Indigenous cultures relied on this plant's saponins to produce soap, as this 1922 report describes. This is a highly variable species, as is implied by the many past scientific names that have since been found to be the same species.

Identification: The leaf rosette is 10-18" (25-45 cm) tall and 16-27" (40-68 cm) around, composed of 8-60 leaves, but usually around 20. It often produces "offsets"—new nearby plants. Leaves are thick, curved, and tipped with sharp spines (hence the name "shin dagger"). They have irregularly spaced teeth on the leaf edges. After about 30 years, the lechuguilla grows a stalk 6½-16' (2-5 m) high, blooms with red- or purple-shaded yellow flowers, and keels over dead. (This rather extreme approach to flowering is shared by most agaves.)

Edibility: Poisonous Skull & Crossbones Several agents in lechuguilla make it unpalatable to people; but sheep, goats and sometimes cattle are poisoned when they attempt to eat it. This is easily avoided by making sure more desirable forage is available.

Agave lechuguilla, Garcia, Nuevo Leon, Mexico. • 9/7/2005 • by Carlos Velazco

References:

Irish, Mary & Irish, Gary, Agaves, Yuccas and Related Plants: A Gardener’s Guide, Timber Press, 2000, p. 132

Online References:

Desert-tropicals.com

Chihuahuan Desert Plants

Www.explorenm.com

EFloras

The USDA Forest Service's Fire Effects Information Database

Agave poselgeri Salm-Dyck

Agave multilineata Baker

Agave heteracantha Hort.

Agave univittata var. tamaulipasana

Agave univittata var. subcanescens

Agave univittata var. gracilior

Agave univittata var. brevifolia

Agave univittata var. caerulescens

Agave univittata var. angustifolia

Agave lophantha var. tamaulipasana

Agave lophantha var. subcanescens

Agave lophantha var. poselgeri

Agave lophantha var. pallida

Agave lophantha var. caerulescens

Agave lophantha var. brevifolia

Agave lophantha var. angustifolia

Agave lophantha var. gracilior

Agave caerulescens

Agave lechuguilla description by Thomas H. Kent, last updated 25 May 2020.

The tall foreground plant is the lechuguilla; the cactus behind is probably Engelmann prickly pear (Opuntia engelmannii). · 11/20/2010 · Living Desert, near Carlsbad Cav, New Mexico

Range: Zones 7-10:

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