Plus, this week’s California native is one the most spectacular.
People associate agaves with formidable spines as stand-offish as cactus. This stereotype is fostered by many species with barbed wire leaf margins that deter close contact with them unless you are wearing chainmail gloves.
Although most agaves develop spines, there are a number of them with smooth leaves. The most notable is foxtail agave , named for its fluffy, attenuated inflorescence. It is a familiar sight in Southern California with its soft, pale green, rosetted foliage and 10- to 15-foot arching flower spike. Agave attenuata var. variegata has leaves with alternating bands of gold and green. Octopus agave has smooth blue twisting tentacles for leaves. Its flower stalk bears hundreds of bulbils.
White sage , a California native, is being relentlessly poached in the wild due its vaunted curative properties. It has gained an international reputation for spiritual cleansing when burned as a smudge stick. Although not yet an officially endangered species, it could become one in the near future. A number of white sage giveaways, sponsored by the Orange County chapter of the California Native Plant Society, will take place over the next few months.
Please send questions, comments, and photos, especially of seldom-seen agave species or California natives to [email protected]
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