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Agave americana

L.

American Century Plant

G5Secure Found in 10 roadless areas NatureServe Explorer →
G5SecureGlobal Rank
Least concernIUCN
UnknownThreat Impact
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.148625
Element CodePMAGA01010
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVascular Plant
IUCNLeast concern
Endemicoccurs (regularly, as a native taxon) in multiple nations
KingdomPlantae
PhylumAnthophyta
ClassMonocotyledoneae
OrderAsparagales
FamilyAsparagaceae
GenusAgave
Other Common Names
American century plant (EN)
Concept Reference
Kartesz, J.T. 1994. A synonymized checklist of the vascular flora of the United States, Canada, and Greenland. 2nd edition. 2 vols. Timber Press, Portland, OR.
Conservation Status
Rank Method Rank calculation - Biotics v2
Review Date2026-03-05
Change Date2026-03-05
Edition Date2026-03-05
Edition AuthorsYekell, S. (TNC-LASP) (1994), rev. Soteropoulos (2026)
Threat ImpactUnknown
Range Extent200,000-2,500,000 square km (about 80,000-1,000,000 square miles)
Number of Occurrences> 300
Rank Reasons
Agave americana is a wide-ranging perennial succulent, forb to shrub found in sandy places in desert scrub, grasslands, oak forests, and the transition between scrub and oak forest. It occurs natively in southern Arizona, southern Texas, and Mexico; it is introduced in southern Florida, rarely escaping elsewhere in the southeastern United States from eastern Texas east to Florida and north to southern North Carolina. There are over 300 occurrences, which face threats from urbanization, road construction, and agro-industrial ranching. Little is known about trends, but with a large range extent and large number of occurrences, abundant habitat, and broad habitat preferences, this species is considered secure.
Range Extent Comments
Agave americana occurs natively in southern Arizona, southern Texas, and Mexico; it is introduced in southern Florida, rarely escaping elsewhere in the southeastern United States from eastern Texas east to Florida and north to southern North Carolina (FNA 2002, Weakley and the Southeastern Flora Team 2025). Native range extent was estimated to be approximately 1.4 million square kilometers using herbarium specimens and photo-based observations documented between 1994 and 2025 (RARECAT 2025, GBIF 2026, iNaturalist 2026, SEINet 2026).
Occurrences Comments
By applying a 1 km separation distance to herbarium specimens and photo-based observations documented between 1994 and 2025, it is estimated that there are over 300 occurrences rangewide (RARECAT 2025, GBIF 2026, iNaturalist 2026, SEINet 2026).
Threat Impact Comments
Although threats are not widely documented, this species is threatened by urbanization, road construction, and agro-industrial ranching, though there is insufficient data, including anecdotal accounts, to understand scope and severity of threats for this species rangewide (García-Mendoza et al. 2019).
Ecology & Habitat

Habitat

Agave americana grows in sandy places in desert scrub, grasslands, oak forests, and the transition between scrub and oak forest (FNA 2002, García-Mendoza et al. 2019).

Reproduction

This taxon flowers from early spring to early summer (FNA 2002). Plants are monocarpic, meaning they flower once in their lifetime and then die, and also frequently sucker, producing rosettes at the base of parent plants (FNA 2002).
Terrestrial Habitats
Woodland - HardwoodShrubland/chaparralSavannaGrassland/herbaceousDesert
Other Nations (1)
United StatesN3
ProvinceRankNative
ArizonaSNRYes
TexasSNRYes
FloridaSNANo
Threat Assessments
ThreatScopeSeverityTiming
1 - Residential & commercial developmentUnknownUnknownHigh (continuing)
1.1 - Housing & urban areasUnknownUnknownHigh (continuing)
2 - Agriculture & aquacultureUnknownUnknownHigh (continuing)
2.3 - Livestock farming & ranchingUnknownUnknownHigh (continuing)
2.3.3 - Agro-industry grazing, ranching or farmingUnknownUnknownHigh (continuing)
4 - Transportation & service corridorsUnknownUnknownHigh (continuing)
4.1 - Roads & railroadsUnknownUnknownHigh (continuing)

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Plant Characteristics
DurationPERENNIAL
Economic Value (Genus)Yes
Roadless Areas (10)
Arizona (1)
AreaForestAcres
Black CanyonPrescott National Forest10,683
California (9)
AreaForestAcres
Arroyo SecoAngeles National Forest4,703
Dry LakesLos Padres National Forest17,043
LaddCleveland National Forest5,300
MonoLos Padres National Forest28,141
NordhoffLos Padres National Forest12,031
San SevaineSan Bernardino National Forest6,866
TequepisLos Padres National Forest9,080
TrabucoCleveland National Forest23,341
WestforkAngeles National Forest4,407
References (9)
  1. Flora of North America Editorial Committee (FNA). 2002a. Flora of North America north of Mexico. Vol. 26. Magnoliophyta: Liliidae: Liliales and Orchidales. Oxford Univ. Press, New York. xxvi + 723 pp.
  2. García-Mendoza, A.J., Sandoval-Gutiérrez, D., Hernández Sandoval, L., and S. Zamudio. 2019. Agave americana. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2019: e.T13507070A13507074. Online. Available: https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2019-3.RLTS.T13507070A13507074.en (accessed 2026).
  3. Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF). 2026. Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) data portal. Online. Available: https://www.gbif.org/ (accessed 2026).
  4. iNaturalist. 2026. Online. Available: https://www.inaturalist.org (accessed 2026).
  5. Kartesz, J.T. 1994. A synonymized checklist of the vascular flora of the United States, Canada, and Greenland. 2nd edition. 2 vols. Timber Press, Portland, OR.
  6. Killeen, T., E. García & S. G. Beck. Guía de árboles de Bolivia. 958 pp. Herbario Nacional de Bolivia y Missouri Botanical Garden. Quipus S.R.L. La Paz Bolivia.
  7. <p>NatureServe's Rapid Analysis of Rarity and Endangerment Conservation Assessment Tool (RARECAT). 2025. Version: 2.1.1 (released April 04, 2025).</p>
  8. Southwest Environmental Information Network (SEINet). 2026. Collections Databases. Online. Available: https://swbiodiversity.org/seinet/collections/index.php (accessed 2026).
  9. Weakley, A.S., and Southeastern Flora Team. 2025. Flora of the southeastern United States Web App. Edition of February 18, 2025. University of North Carolina Herbarium (NCU), North Carolina Botanical Garden, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. Online. Available: https://fsus.ncbg.unc.edu (accessed 2025).