In Mexico, the original home of many agave species, agaves form the economic basis of life for a large number of people. The actual way these extraordinary plants are used could be surprising for many a hobby gardener.
What are the fruits of agave and what products are made from agave?
Agave fruits emerge after a rare flowering in the form of three-chambered capsules with flat, black seeds. The fruits are not the origin of agave syrup, this comes from the stem of the plant. Agave products include agave syrup, sisal, mezcal and tequila.
The relatively rare flower of the agaves
The name plant of the century became commonplace for certain agaves in earlier times because some types of agave actually only form flowers after a relatively long time. With the largest agave species, it sometimes takes several decades until the flowers at the top of an inflorescence up to 12 meters high open for fertilization. Ideally, three-chambered capsules with flat black seeds inside form as fruits. Since the seeds are difficult to obtain due to the rare flowering, agaves are usually easily propagated by producing offshoots from the so-called kindlings.
These products are made from parts of certain agave plants
Based on the assortment in the supermarket, some gardeners might get the impression that agaves produce particularly sweet fruits. The so-called “agave syrup” is not made from the fruits, but from the stalk of certain agaves, which is left over after the leaves have been cut off. In addition to the well-known agave syrup, the following economically important products are also made from parts of the agave:
- Sisal
- Mezcal
- Tequila
To obtain sisal, agave species such as Agave sisalana and Agave cantala are specifically grown on special sisal plantations. The blue agave (Agave tequilana) is used as a raw material for the production of the spirit tequila, which is also considered a national drink of the Mexicans worldwide.
Be careful before doing your own experiments with agaves
Some people confuse agave with aloe vera due to the relatively similar appearance of the leaves. You should refrain from attempting to produce tequila or agave syrup from the agaves in the garden without the appropriate specialist knowledge, as certain types of agave can be slightly poisonous.
Tip
As soon as your agave starts flowering in the garden, you can let the fruits or seeds ripen. Removing the inflorescence before it dries up does not prevent the plants from dying after flowering. You have a better chance of the mother plant surviving even after fruit has set if you remove any existing children and carefully repot the plant.
