The genus Agave is treated here in a wide sense to include taxa previously treated as belonging to the genera Manfreda, Prochnyanthes, Polianthes and Pseudobravoa. Not all botanists are happy with this treatment, with some feeling that these genera should remain distinct, at least until further studies have been carried out. In addition, given the high species diversity found in Agave, some feel that an alternative approach could be the recognition of several smaller genera within the current circumscription of Agave[].

Common Name: Cow's Horn Agave

General Information

Agave bovicornuta is an evergreen, stemless, succulent plant forming a rosette of leaves that can be 80 - 100cm tall and 150 - 200cm in diameter. The more or less spoon-shaped leaves on mature plants can each be 60 - 100cm long and 14 - 20cm wide in the middle. After several years of growth, a flowering stem that can be around 5 - 7 metres tall is produced, after which the rosette will die[].
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a food and to make the distilled beverage 'mezcal'. An attractive plant, it is commonly grown as an ornamental[, ].
Agave bovicornuta has a relatively wide range but small and isolated subpopulations, its biology makes it particularly vulnerable since it only reproduces by seed and it dies after reproduction. It is suspected that the collection of plants and seeds for horticulture and the heavy harvest of flowers for human consumption has and will continue to cause declines in the population. The plant is classified as 'Vulnerable' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2019)[].

Known Hazards

The juice of the plant is caustic and produces a temporary dermatitis on tender skin, with a burning sensation, inñammation, and white welts or blisters. Some people are more susceptible than others. Washing with soap only increases the burning. It is better to wipe dry or wash with clear water only[].
Many Agave species have strong, sharp spines on the leaves and leaf tips.
In theory at least, the flowers, nectar, immature flowering stem and the centre of the rosette of all Agave species is edible and, with proper preparation, can provide a sweet, tasty foodstuff. Some species, however, contain relatively high levels of saponins (which makes them taste bitter) and some other compounds which can cause bellyache, and so these would only be eaten in times of desperation. In addition, many people may find these foods to be strongly laxative the first few times they eat them[].

The Western Tarahumara use Agave vilmoriniana, which is rich in sapogenins, and Agave bovicornuta and Agave wocomahi, the toxic constituents of which are unknown, to stupefy fish trapped in rock enclosures or pools in rivers. The plants are mashed on a rock, the juices are allowed to drain into the river and then the mashed plants are thrown into the water. Several plants are needed to stupefy the trapped fish which, upon reaching the surface, are collected[]

Botanical References

Range

Southwestern N. America - northern Mexico (Chihuahua, Sinaloa, Sonora)

Habitat

Scattered in the areas between canyons, growing on open, rocky slopes associated with oaks (Quercus spp.); also in pine-oak forests and tropical dry forests; at elevations from 930 - 1,850 metres[, ].

Properties

Conservation Status	Vulnerable
Edibility Rating
Habit	Evergreen Perennial
Height	1.00 m
Self-fertile	No
Cultivation Status	Ornamental, Wild

Cultivation Details

Agave bovicornuta is found in semi-arid regions in the warm temperate zone, extending south in Mexico into the tropical dry forests[]
Agave species generally require a sunny position, succeeding in most soils of medium-fertility so long as they are very well-drained. Most species are undemanding as to the soil pH, though those found in the wild on limestone soils will grow better in neutral to alkaline conditions. Plants are generally very tolerant of dry conditions and of extended periods of drought[].
Most Agave species are monocarpic, individual rosettes living for a number of years without flowering before sending up an often very large flowering stem and then dying after flowering and setting seed.
This species does not produce shoots or bulbils and apparently it also requires cross pollination, thus when cultivated in gardens the plant dies in one generation when it reaches between 12 - 18 years old and flowers[]. Some plants in gardens have been observed to live up to 30 years[].
Individual plants take about 7 - 15 years in their native habitat, considerably longer in colder climates, before flowering[].
Members of this genus are rarely if ever troubled by browsing deer[].

Edible Uses

The flowers are washed to remove the bitterness and are eaten cooked[]. They are also used to make tortillas - this species being preferred over others to make this food[].

The heart of the rosette, after the leaves have been removed, is baked and used to prepare strong 'suguí' a fermented alcoholic beverage[].
The heart is occasionally used to make the distilled liquor mezcal[], though it is considered to be inferior to many other species[, ].
This species is not generally used to produce mescal because it has a caustic juice and a bitter taste[].

Medicinal

None known

Other Uses

None known

Propagation

Seed - surface sow in a container in a light position. The fertile black seeds germinate readily and can easily be cultured in flats or pots during early stages[]. The seed usually germinates in 1 - 3 months at 15 - 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 10cm tall before planting out.
Offsets and suckers can be potted up at any time they are available.
Bulbils, where produced, are an easy method of propagation. Simply pot them up and plant out at the beginning of a growing season when they are 10cm or more tall.

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