Agave sisalana

Common Name: sisal hemp

Family: Agavaceae

Common Synonyms: none

USDA Hardiness Zone: 9B - 11

Growth Habit: Shrub

Origin: Mexico

FISC Category: 2

FDACS Listed Noxious Weed: No

Introduction Date: 1836

IFAS Assessment:

• North: OK
• Central: CAUTION
• South: CAUTION

Description

Perennial shrub to 2 m tall with rigid, sword-like leaves extending from basal rosette. Leaves 10 cm wide and up to 1.5 m long with sharp dark brown spine at end, grey-green in color. A branched inflorescence forms atop a flower stalk 7-9 m tall with yellowish-green flowers to 7 cm wide. Fruit an oblong capsule with black seeds. Plants usually sterile and die after blooming once. Small plantlets (bulbils) form in inflorescence that fall to ground after flowering and form new plants.

Habitat

Coastal uplands, scrub, scrubby flatwoods, pine rockland, disturbed sites

Comments

Vouchered in many south and central counties, possible EDRR candidate where not well established since slow spreading. Bulbils are water dispersed.

Control Methods

• Manual: NA
• Chemical: NA
• Biological: NA

Control Notes

No specific recommendations available

References

Dave's Garden. 2013. PlantFiles: Sisal, Agave sisalana. http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/60666/. Accessed on December 2, 2013.

Langeland, K.A., H.M. Cherry, C.M. McCormick, K.C. Burks. 2008. Identification and Biology of Non-Native Plants in Florida's Natural Areas-Second Edition. IFAS Publication SP 257. University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida.

Scurlock, J.P. 1987. Native Trees and Shrubs of the Florida Keys. Laurel & Herbert, Inc. Sugarloaf Key, Florida.