Andalucia Life Fauna and Flora, Flowers of Andalucia Southern Spain

July 2006, Agave, Agave deserti

The history of this plant dates back over 135 million years. At that time the super continent of Pangea was splitting apart, the South American continental plate was tearing itself away from the African plate. On both plates was a primitive succulent. Over millions of years both evolved, the African succulent becoming the Aloe, and the American succulent became the very similar in looks but very different Genus, Agave. During the 15th Century Spanish explorers found the Agave and brought it back to the Mediterranean area where it flourishes in dry conditions like those found around Tabernas and in many places on the Costa del Sol. There are 200 species of Agave, about half that number are re-naturalised on this side of the Atlantic. Agave deserti, as the name implies, favours the desert. Its grey green leaves can be up to a metre in length and the flower stalk up to 7 metres. The flowers are silvery yellow and after the mature plant flowers the basal rosette dies leaving the offshoots to grow on.