Genus Agave is composed of 275 species that occur in the arid and semi-arid regions from the south-western USA, Mexico, Central America and the West Indies. The name of the genus Agave is taken from the Greek word agauos, which means ‘noble’ or ‘admirable’, a reference to the stately appearance of the plant. All species share thick, meaty, succulent-type spiny-edged leaves which are produced in the form of rosettes.  Most agaves are monocarpic succulents (they flower once and then die). They have funnel-shaped flowers in racemes or panicles often much taller than the rosettes.

Agave stricta is an evergreen, succulent plant belongs to the Agave plant genus, that is a member of the Asparagaceae family. It is endemic to the Southern Mexico’s Tehuacan Valley (northern Puebla and southern Oaxaca).  It grows at elevations of 1700-1850 metres on arid calcareous soils. The Latin specific epithet stricta means erect.

Hedgehog agave is an elegant plant with a spherical bearing and a branched trunk that reach 70 cm in height. It forms offsets as it grows, creating dense distinctive colonies. Plant has rosettes of narrow, 40 – 70 cm tall, dark green or bluish leaves with a greyish-black terminal thorn. The leaves forming the plant’s rosettes are square, almost round in cross-section. The foliage may develop a red tinge in the summer. After several years of growth, each rosette produces a flowering stem that may be up to 3 metres tall with, dense racemes of small funnel-shaped, reddish-purple flowers. As it is known; most species of agaves are monocarpic, the parent plant dying after they flower but Agave stricta plants are polycarpic, the parent plants live even after flowering.

Hedgehog agave is a very drought tolerant plant, prefers full sun, hot climate and well-drained soil. It can tolerate almost any soil with adequate drainage but may develop root rot if over watered. Plant can tolerate frost up to -9˚C if it is not over wet. Propagation
can be done from offshoots which is the fastest way of production. It also grown from seed.

There are many new dwarf variates of Agave stricta: Agave stricta ‘nana’, Agave stricta ‘rubra’, Agave stricta ‘echinus’ etc. These variates are smaller and grows slowly to form symmetrical rosettes, eventually 12-25 cm tall. With time new offsets form at the base from short rhizomes to create attractive tightly packed colonies.

Use of Landscape: Hedgehog agave used to form groups, in borders, next to a wall, in rockeries, rock garden or along a slope. They are preferred for desert gardens and xeriscape landscape. Dwarf varieties also used as a container subject, filling pots with
beautiful, piny rosettes.

During maintenance of an Agave stricta, always protect yourself from the sap and sharp spines, using protective gloves and glasses, also wearing long-sleeved shirts.