Agave Tequilana

Agave tequilana is a large agave native to and cultivated primarily in Jalisco, Mexico—the world's most famous agave as the source of tequila. The blue-green cultivar known as 'Blue Weber' (var. weber) is the variety used in tequila production. Its long, sword-shaped blue-gray leaves are fibrous, with small marginal teeth and a sharp terminal spine. Mature rosettes reach 1.2–1.8 m in diameter and about 1.5 m in height. The plant typically takes 8–12 years to flower, sending up a 5–6 m stalk, but in tequila production the sugar-rich stem (piña) is harvested before flowering. As an ornamental, the striking blue foliage is highly attractive, though cold hardiness is relatively low and frost protection is needed in cooler climates.