Common Name: Henequen

General Information

Henequen is an evergreen, succulent, perennial plant, usually without a stem, producing a rosette of leaves up to 2 metres long. Towards the end of its lifespan it produces a 5 - 7 metre tall flowering stem with yellow flowers[, ].
An ancient fibre crop plant of the Maya Indians, the plant is still cultivated for its useful fibre, mainly in Mexico since plantations are less successful in El Salvador, Venezuela, Cuba, Jamaica, Tanzania, Mozambique and in the islands of Polynesia[].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

C. America - Guatemala to southern Mexico.

Habitat

Not known

Properties

Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Evergreen Perennial
Height	1.80 m
Cultivation Status	Cultivated

Cultivation Details

A plant of the drier tropics. It grows best in areas where annual daytime temperatures are within the range 15 - 30°c, but can tolerate 10 - 40°c[]. It can be damaged by temperatures of -5°c or lower[]. It prefers a mean annual rainfall in the range 900 - 1,250mm, but tolerates 700 - 2,500mm[].
Requires a sunny position in a well-drained soil. Prefers a pH in the range 6.5 - 7.5, tolerating 6 - 8[].
It require 4 - 6 years to first harvest, and the leaves can subsequently be harvested twice a year[].
A monocarpic species - the plant lives for a number of years without flowering but dies once it does flower. However, it normally produces plenty of suckers during its life and these continue growing, taking about 10 - 15 years in a warm climate, considerably longer in colder ones, before flowering[].
In Mexico the plant has a life cycle of 15 - 30 years[].
This species is a sterile hybrid taxon[].

Edible Uses

None known

Medicinal

The plant is used for medicinal purposes[].

Agroforestry Uses:

The plants are cultivated as hedges and living fences in Cuba[].

Other Uses

A fibre is obtained from the leaves[]. Coarser than the fibres from sisal (Agave sisalana), they are used for the production of ropes, nets, floor-covering and harvest binding strings[].

The roots contain saponins and can be used as a soap substitute[].

Propagation

Seed - surface sow in a container in a light position. The seed usually germinates in 1 - 3 months at 20°c[]. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots of well-drained soil when they are large enough to handle and grow them on in a sunny position until they are at least 20cm tall.

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