Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Flowering Plants
Cactus or Succulent
Origin
Southwestern United States, California
Mexico
Types
-
Agave americana subsp. americana
Agave americana subsp. protamericana Gentry
Agave americana var. expansa (Jacobi) Gentry
Agave americana var. oaxacensis Gentry
Number of Varieties
404
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Dry areas, meadows
Desert, Hardwood forests, Hillside, Humid climates, Rocky Ridges, wastelands
USDA Hardiness Zone
4-98-11
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
9-1
12-5
Sunset Zone
1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 18, 19, 20, 21
H1, H2, 10, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Clump-Forming
Clump-Forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
61.00 cm25.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
25.40 cm90.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Crimson
Yellow green
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
-
Fruit Color
-
Tan
Leaf Color in Spring
Green
Blue Green, Gray Green, Slate Gray, Gray
Leaf Color in Summer
Green
Blue Green, Gray Green, Slate Gray, Gray
Leaf Color in Fall
Green
Blue Green, Gray Green, Slate Gray, Gray
Leaf Color in Winter
-
Blue Green, Gray Green, Slate Gray, Gray
Shape
Leaf Shape
Oblong
Long linear and narrow
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Summer
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun
Growth Rate
Fast
Medium
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Early Summer, Summer, Late Summer
Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
-
-
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Seedlings, Stem Planting
Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Do Not over Water, Requires watering in the growing season, Water Deeply, Water when soil is dry
Do not water frequently, Does not require lot of watering, Water occasionally
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun
Pruning
No pruning needed in the early stages, Prune to stimulate growth, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead leaves, Remove deadheads
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, Apply 10-10-10 amount
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Insects
Red blotch
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Drought
Flowers
Showy
Showy
Flower Petal Number
Single
Single
Fruits
Showy Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Edible Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrance
Fragrant Flower
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Leaf
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Bark/Stem
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Foliage
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Bark
✔
✘
✔
✘
Foliage Texture
Medium
Bold
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Hummingbirds
Birds
Allergy
Asthma
Skin irritation
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Burns, Snakebite, Stomach aliments
constipation, Gastrointestinal disorders
Part of Plant Used
Whole plant
Leaves, Sap, Seeds, Stem
Other Uses
Used as Ornamental plant
Pulp can be used to make rope place mats and other goods, Used in making beverages
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Mixed Border, Rock Garden / Wall, Wildflower
Container, Feature Plant, Mixed Border, Rock Garden, Wall
Botanical Name
PENSTEMON eatonii
AGAVE americana
Common Name
Firecracker Penstemon
Century plant
Maguey
American aloe
In Hindi
Firecracker penstemon
अमेरिकी रामबांस
In German
Kracher penstemon
amerikanische Agave
In French
Firecracker penstemon
Agave américaine
In Spanish
Penstemon del petardo
Agave americana
In Greek
πυροτέχνημα penstemon
American αγαύη
In Portuguese
Penstemon do foguete
Agave americana
In Polish
petarda penstemon
Amerykański Agawa
In Latin
Firecracker Persicaria
American Agave
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
-
-
Class
-
Liliopsida
Order
Lamiales
Asparagales
Family
Scrophulariaceae
Agavaceae
Genus
Penstemon
Agave
Clade
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Monocots
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
-
Agavoideae
Number of Species
250199
1
27800
👆🏻