Name: Century Plant
Brand: Chaka Plants

Century Plant (Agave americana)

Plant Type: succulent

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Posted: 8 months ago

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Growth Category: Slow to moderate (faster in warm, sunny climates)
Temperature Range: 10 – 35 °C
Light Requirement: Full sun
Agroecology Zone: Arid to semi-arid
Watering Frequency: Once every 2–4 weeks
Behavior: A large, rosette-forming succulent with thick, blue-green leaves and sharp spines.

Monocarpic – flowers once after 10–30 years, then the mother plant dies but produces many offsets (pups).

Very drought-tolerant, stores water in leaves.
Region: Native to Mexico; thrives in Ethiopia’s dry lowlands, midlands, and well-drained highland slopes

Treatment:
✅ Do:

Give plenty of space; mature plants can reach 2–3 m wide.

Use gloves when handling – leaf edges and tips are sharp.

Water deeply but rarely.

Harvest offsets for propagation once they are at least 20 cm tall.

❌ Don’t:

Plant too close to walkways (spines can injure people and animals).

Overwater – this is the quickest way to kill it.

Plant in shade – it will become weak and floppy.

Leave pest damage untreated; snout weevils can destroy the plant from the base.