What comes to mind when you hear the word “tequila”? Most often the words are “vodka from cacti”, the birthplace of the drink is Mexico and dressed up cowboys. But for some reason, never huge plantations of bluish plants, reminiscent of both aloe and giant 90-kilogram pineapples.
Blue agave– truly the pride of Mexico. The history, culture and life of the country, from the ancient Aztecs to the present day, are permeated with traces of this amazing plant. Even UNESCO included its plantations in the List of World Heritage Sites!
Agave tequilana
Blue agave, also known as tequila agave, is a plant that grows in large quantities in a dry tropical climate, at an altitude of 1500 meters above sea level. Like any self-respecting drought-resistant plant, it prefers red soils with big amount sand. Outwardly it looks like a mixture of porcupine and aloe; bluish fleshy leaves stick out imposingly in all directions. The core of the plant, when the leaves are trimmed, resembles a giant pineapple.
Blue agaves are conventionally divided into two types: wild and domesticated. These plants bloom only once in their life. At the end life cycle wild agave, which lasts an average of 5 years, it grows a shoot about five meters long, with flowers on it. At night they are pollinated by Saussure's long-nosed bat, a native species of bat. After pollination, the mother plant, alas, dies.
Domesticated blue agaves are very different from their wild relatives. It’s worth starting with the fact that such a plant lives on average 12 years - exactly as long as it takes for it to accumulate in its core maximum amount juice Such longevity is achieved by removing shoots with nascent buds from a young agave, which allows it to grow and gain mass further. And the removed shoot is planted in the ground for further germination. This propagation method is beneficial to everyone, except for one big problem: new blue agaves grown by such a transplant are essentially clones, which makes all domestic agaves genetically uniform. And interference in natural process evolution could not easily get away with breeders, so domesticated blue agaves are now susceptible to a large number of diseases. Since 2000, about 30% of plants have been affected by TMA syndrome ("Agave death and wilt", a common name for a group of diseases). The reason for the problem lies in the fact that due to cloning, blue agaves have ceased to develop evolutionarily and acquire protective mechanisms against new diseases. But let's not talk about sad things.
Why is it needed?
Agaves (and there are about 300 species of them) are generally very useful plants. Their tough fibers are used to make ropes, coarse cloth and wrapping paper. Some species are indispensable in folk medicine due to their rich set of vitamins and useful substances in juice. In terms of their use in folk medicine, agaves are very similar to aloe, which, by the way, is their distant relative.
As for blue agave specifically, the list of it healing properties not that big. These are mainly gastroenterological diseases. But the people of North America loved and love this plant not for its healing properties. The Aztecs also realized that if you chop the core of an agave plant and squeeze the juice out of it, the resulting nectar can be consumed internally, while receiving incomparable pleasure. They nicknamed this drink “octli”. Later, after the arrival of the Spaniards in the New World, octli received a new name - “pulque”.
Pulque was made from agave juice by simple fermentation, like wine. However, the Spaniards were not satisfied with such a small degree of strength (from 6 to 18%), since to disinfect water - and strong alcohol in those days was most often used for this purpose, not like now - something more serious was needed. This is how mezcal was born - a distillation product of pulque. The strength of such a drink was then about 25%. Now Mexicans often carry out double distillation, which raises the degree of the drink to 28-43%. It is worth noting that mezcal fermentation is a natural process, without added sugar. For this reason, mezcal retains a lot of the taste and aroma of the asparagus plant, which some connoisseurs love.
But Mexico is not famous for pulque and mezcal alone. Her main pride is...
Tequila. "Vodka from cacti"
As you already understand, tequila is not vodka made from cacti. This widespread opinion grew out of the stereotype that in Mexico there is nothing but cacti. Tequila is made from the heart of the blue agave plant through distillation. This drink got its name from the city of Tequila, located in the west of the Mexican state of Jalisco. It was in the vicinity of this city that this product began to be produced.
The path from blue agave to tequila begins with plantations. The plant is grown by waiting for red spots on the leaves - signs that the core has accumulated enough juice. Then the chimadores, workers on the plantations, using koa or coa, special axes, cut off all the prickly leaves of the plant, and then the rhizome, leaving the most valuable thing - the core. After this procedure, a core weighing from 20 to 90 kg (sometimes more), similar to a bleeding pineapple, is brought to the factory.
Photo: domenicocz.blogspot.com
There it is cut into several parts and subjected to heat treatment: placed in an oven for 12–72 hours at a temperature of about 70°C. After this, the pieces of agave are crushed using special mills, and the resulting mass is thoroughly squeezed, thus obtaining juice with a strength of 12-13%. It is then placed in steel or wooden fermentation tanks for 7-10 days. Here lies the first main difference between tequila and mezcal - sugar is often added to the fermentation tanks to speed up the process. The output is sweet molasses with a low alcohol content (about 4-7%), from which old technology sublimation produces tequila. The second main difference is that the juice undergoes a mandatory double distillation before becoming tequila, and only middle part distillate.
It is legal to grow blue agave and produce tequila from it only in five states: Jalisco, Michoacan, Guanajuato, Tamaulipas and Nayarit. Due to the great popularity of the drink, the majority of the population of these states is somehow involved in the production of tequila. In Mexico, there is an official declaration, from which it follows that only products made in one of five states and certified by the government can be sold under the name “tequila”, a state standard regulating the labeling, bottling and production of tequila, and even a special organization designed to monitor its execution. All this perfectly shows Mexico's attitude towards its main pride.
Tequila is different
According to standards, all tequila is divided into two large groups:
– Tequila 100% Agave, or premium tequila. As the name suggests, this tequila is made entirely from agave juice. This group is the most refined, but getting to know it for an uninitiated person may not be the most pleasant due to its extremely specific taste, which it is advisable to get used to gradually.
– Tequila Mixta, also known as “standard”. By law, this type of tequila must contain at least 51% sugar derived from blue agave; for the rest, substitutes (for example, cane sugar) can be used. Tequila Mixta, due to sweeteners, can vary greatly in taste, which, coupled with the price, has made it popular all over the world.
Now let's look at the varieties of tequila. There are four main ones:
– Silver (plata or blanca). Tequila without impurities, consisting of 100% agave. Aged in barrels for no more than two months.
– Gold (joven). Mixto tequila, bottled without aging, with caramel added to add color. It is this tequila that has gained worldwide popularity.
- Reposado. Aged in barrels for up to a year. To change the taste, manufacturers use barrels from other alcoholic beverages, such as whiskey. Reposado is the most popular variety tequila in Mexico itself.
– Anejo. Aged in barrels for one to three years. It has a refined “woody” taste. Since 2005, they began to produce Extra anejo - tequila kept in barrels for up to 10 years. Such long term storage threatens the taste of the product, since the tree can overpower the taste of the agave, so every few years the tequila is poured into a new barrel.
In general, don’t insult agave anymore by calling tequila cactus vodka!
What is the basis of Mexico's super popular national drink? Blue agave, of course! What is agave liquor? Definitely tequila! Agave plant plays very important role in local industry. Ropes, ropes, rugs and other products are made from Mexican agave. rough fabrics. And not only. An agave washcloth is what tourists from Mexico bring as a souvenir to their loved ones and acquaintances. After all, magnets nowadays are already too annoying a souvenir. Moreover, agave washcloth is a natural product. And we can also say that any production related to the processing of agave is practically waste-free; all unnecessary residues from the plant are used to make, first of all, wrapping paper.
But the Mexican agave drink includes more than just tequila, but also drinks like pulque and mezcal.
1. Pulque is a sweet, low-alcohol Mexican drink, which is obtained by fermenting agave juice, without distillation. Its strength is small - just 6 - 8%.
2. Mezcal is a traditional Mexican alcoholic drink made from fermented agave juice. But unlike tequila, no sugar is added when agave juice is fermented, and the strength reaches 38 - 43%. Mezcal is made from five types of cultivated agave, while tequila is made only from blue agave.
It is from blue agave that a wonderful drink is distilled. Blue agave tequila can be divided into two groups:
1. "100% Agave", or "100% pure de agave". This means that blue agave tequila is made exclusively from blue agave juice without any additives.
2. “mixto” or “mixed”, where 50% is blue agave juice, and the rest is other sugar-containing products, namely wheat, corn, etc.
Agave flower and agave oil are used in medicine. The leaves of this plant contain steroid saponins, which are used to enhance the effectiveness of steroid hormonal drugs.
All these plants are similar to each other, have a short stem and very thick, fleshy leaves. Leaves may be grey, blue, green or variegated. The tip of the leaf of each type of agave is pointed and divided into many spiny teeth. There are approximately 136 varieties of agave growing in Mexico. Some species of this plant can be used to produce alcoholic beverages, but still the pride of Mexico is one species - the blue agave. Blue agave is what makes the best agave drink.
The blue agave is distinguished by its fleshiness, and its shape resembles a huge rose; it is a blue-green plant, hairy, tall and with huge, hard leaves, at the end of which there are sharp needles. Only one Mexican region is perfect for growing this type of agave - Tequila; the area of land planted with this plant is about 209 square kilometers. The fields where agave grows are raised to an altitude of approximately 1500 meters above sea level. The soil on such plantations has special properties necessary for good growth agaves. The lands here are very rich in iron, sand and other minerals. There are many poems and legends about the flowering of agave, in which you can often hear that agave blooms only once in a lifetime. These lines are not a poetic exaggeration; agave actually blooms once in its life, after which it quickly dies. But flowering does not occur once every 100 years, as can be understood from the same poems, but at about 25 years of age of the plant.
The agave flower is an incredibly beautiful sight. From a huge outlet long leaves reaching a width of 3 meters, a simply gigantic flower emerges, up to 12 meters long, on top of which a magnificent inflorescence is formed in the form of a spike, consisting of thousands of yellow inflorescences. It takes 8-10 years for agave to fully ripen, after which it can be used to produce tequila. Over such a long period of time, blue agave accumulates a huge amount of carbohydrates and, of course, fructose. When the agave plant fully ripens, it produces abundant inflorescences, which signal that the plant's life is coming to an end. If you do not have time to harvest before the flowers fully bloom, the inulin content will drop very sharply, and such a plant will no longer be suitable for the production of good Mexican tequila. Harvesting agave is not at all easy, because the production of the Mexican drink from agave - tequila - requires only the core of the plant, which contains all the necessary sugar reserves. The collector has to cut off special devices the spiky leaves of the plant to avoid injury when digging the middle part of the agave out of the ground. Then the fruit must be removed top part, leaving only the head, which is shaped like a pineapple and weighs several tens of kilograms. This process is quite labor-intensive; specialists usually use very sharp devices with long handles called “soa”. The art of agave harvesting is typically passed down from generation to generation. When it comes to growing agave, everything is quite simple.
Agave is an unpretentious plant, it likes to grow in the sun, although for .jpg)
For smaller species, diffuse lighting is desirable. Almost all varieties of Mexican agave are desert plants, so they like it when day and night temperatures are very different (19-20 degrees during the day and 10-13 degrees at night). Agave does not need watering, since it is a desert plant; heavy rain can lead to the death of the agave. However, it is necessary to carefully monitor the “health state” of the plant, prevent diseases in a timely manner and clearly control the growth of the agave. Agave is grown from sprouts obtained from older breeds of this plant that have reached a height of 50 centimeters. Then they must be dried thoroughly. To do this, the sprouts are cut and left on the field for a month. After this period, they are collected and sent to special laboratories (nurseries), where they ripen before being planted on the field. It is customary to plant ready-made cuttings before the rainy season, so they will take root in the ground faster.
Blue agave, used in the production of the famous Mexican tequila, requires frequent trimming of excess leaves so that the core, which accumulates the most sugar and other necessary elements, becomes larger in size. And when it stops growing, acquiring a brownish-red hue, and bright red spots appear on the leaves, the blue agave is considered to be fully ripe.
And finally, I want to make it clear that agave cactus is far from blue agave. Do not be confused, blue agave belongs to the lily family, and has nothing to do with the cactus. And a photo of a blue agave will help you figure out once and for all that an agave cactus is not a blue agave.
There are many authentic types of alcohol in the world with a bright national flavor. These include a drink made from agave juice. More precisely - drinks. There are four types of alcohol in this family. The most popular worldwide is, of course, tequila. But recently its ancestor, mezcal, has gained international fame (and deservedly so). The third "relative" of the agave plant, the exquisite sotol, is little known. And pulque is the most ancient drink.
Let's start with pulque
This drink made from agave juice has a strength of only 2 to 8%. At one time it was very popular in Mexico. It is obtained from the juice (the type of agave is American or Magea, but it can be made from 6 types of plants). In Mesoamerica, such mash has been made since time immemorial. According to researchers, for more than 1000 years. Agave pulque is white in color with milk, has a viscous consistency, and a sour yeast taste. The history of production goes back to pre-Columbian times: in Mesoamerica it was considered ritual, and pulque could only be consumed by a limited circle (mainly priests). After the conquest of Mexico by the conquistadors, the drink became available to all people, and its use became more widespread. This drink made from agave juice reached the peak of its popularity at the end of the 19th century. Then its distribution area began to narrow. Agave pulque began to give way to beer and other drinks brought from Europe and already produced in America. In addition, the ritual element disappeared (with the general Christianization of the local population).
Agave tequila
Unlike pulque, it is a strong alcoholic drink that is traditionally made in Mexico by fermenting and distilling the juice of the blue agave plant. The main raw material in the production of this drink is a certain type of agave (blue or Agave tequilana), of the Agave family. This is a large plant with a short and thick stem and a rosette of fleshy foliage. The state of Jalisco produces most of its tequila. This plateau is located at an altitude of over two kilometers above sea level. Regarding the most suitable places for agave to grow, there are different points of view among its producers themselves. Some believe that the best grows on extinct volcanoes, others believe that in the highlands, where it is larger.
How is it prepared?
Tequila is a Mexican vodka. The technology for its manufacture is as follows. Just before flowering, when the plant accumulates a large number of starch and sugar, the leaves are cut off from the agave, and then the core of the stem, called pino (Spanish for “cone”), is removed. It is powerful, usually weighing over 50 kilograms or more (some even 100). Pinot is processed, crushed, pressed, and the juice is squeezed out. Some manufacturing companies also add sugar to the resulting raw materials. The juice ferments for several days. For fermentation, natural yeasts living on agave leaves were previously used, but now almost all companies introduce yeast cultures.
Double distillation is used, and then alcohol of 55% strength is obtained. To produce Mexican vodka, the middle fraction of the resulting distillate is taken. The drink is diluted with spring water (or distilled as an option) to a strength of 40 °C, then sent for bottling (aging - as the most popular option). According to the law, the Mexican agave juice drink (tequila) must be called only that drink for the preparation of which more than 50 percent of the agave juice distillate was taken as tequila. IN in this case The bottle will say 100% Blue Agave.
Types of tequila
The drink comes in the following types:
- Silver - white, bottled immediately after distillation.
- Hoven is young, not aged, usually flavored or tinted.
- Gold - golden, a young variety, tinted with an infusion of oak shavings.
- Reposado - rested. Aged for up to a year in oak barrels and has already acquired a golden hue.
- Anejo is an old tequila, aged. Terms - from 3 to 10 years, as a rule, no more than seven. It is not recommended to keep the drink in barrels longer, as it becomes bitter.
Law is law!
According to the law of Mexico (adopted in a drink made in this country (states of Jalisco, Guanajuato, Tamaulipas) original technology. Bottles of real tequila must be labeled with permission from the Mexican government to use the name. And a drink made from 100% agave juice must be bottled only in Mexico, with the appropriate inscription on the label: “made in Mexico.”
Method of use
Traditionally, locals drink the drink from small, tall and narrow glasses, affectionately nicknamed “horses.” The glass is filled, and salt is placed next to it on a saucer and a quarter of a lime (its bitter and sour taste goes perfectly with the Mexican strong drink). You need to sprinkle a little salt thumb into the recess, squeeze a drop of lime juice onto it, lick it all off and drink the contents of the container in one gulp, then bite with lime (in our conditions it is acceptable to replace it with lemon).
Mexicans sometimes accompany the ritual of drinking tequila with the consumption of cold sangrita, made from blood orange and lime juices, tomato juice, and hot pepper.
Another way: serve tequila with tonic. You need to cover the glass with your palm and hit it sharply on the table (this action causes the drink to boil), after which the mixture is drunk in one gulp. The method is known in the Russian Federation as “tequila boom”. A little about temperature. The drink is usually consumed moderately chilled.
Mezcal
This is a strong alcoholic drink that is produced in Mexico from fermented agave juice. The raw materials, as well as the method of making them, are generally the same as traditional Mexican tequila. Only the core of the agave stems, which is used to distill mezcal, is first baked in pit ovens with conical shape. Agave stems are laid across the coals, covered with layers of palm fibers and kept for several days. This ancient method gives the drink a smoky aroma. Another difference from making tequila: mezcal is made from natural juice and without added sugar. This authentic drink is created in small private factories. Typically its strength is 43 °C. It has a strong taste with an aroma that is more pronounced than that of tequila. There are many types of drink, distinguished by taste and aroma, as well as color.
How to use?
Mezcal is bottled in a specially shaped bottle. Some brands have bags of salt tied to the neck, which is mixed with dried, ground caterpillars (insects live inside the stems of the plant). Salt is intended for “proper” drinking. The bottle itself can contain a caterpillar preserved in alcohol (Bombix agavis butterfly larva). During life, it has a reddish tint, but in the drink it becomes discolored. Mezcal is drunk in the same way as tequila, but when drinking “vodka on a worm,” the caterpillar is divided equally among all participants.
Sotol
In addition to the well-known tequila and mezcal in the world, there is Alternative option alcohol produced from the sap of the agave plant. Sotol, due to its specific region of origin, is not very popular in its homeland - Mexico. It is produced in the northern regions of Chihuahua. This is a beautiful mountainous area. There is a canyon here that is 8 times larger than the Grand Canyon in the States. The name “sotol” comes from the name of the agave variety from which the drink is made. This species grows in cool climates and can be cultivated high in the mountains. And this agave takes longer to ripen. Local residents of the area call the variety, as well as the drink obtained from it, “sotol.” And it is not diluted with alcohols that are obtained from other varieties of agave.
Agave - large monocotyledonous plant family of asparagus. From a greatly shortened stem grows a rosette with elongated, gray-green, fleshy leaves, which, depending on the species, are framed with spines.
general description
Many people dream of seeing agave bloom. But Agave blooms only in the sixth year, or even later. During this period, the plant throws out an unusual peduncle, the height of which sometimes reaches 12 m; it can contain up to 17 thousand yellow flowers. In most cases, ground part Agave plants die off completely immediately after the fruits ripen.
In the wild, the evergreen desert agave is found only in Mexico and Central America. However, because of its beauty and a number of healing properties, it was spread by people throughout the world. It has taken root not only in the tropics or subtropics, but also in countries located much further north, cold climate which assumed its cultivation only at home or in warm greenhouses.
Europeans became acquainted with this representative of the flora of the American continent around the middle of the 16th century. At least at this time it was mentioned in the records of P. Martyr, dating back to 1533.
Currently, in Mediterranean countries it is common to grow Agave americana as ornamental plant for landscaping streets and squares. On the territory of Russia it can be found in parks in the southern part of Crimea and on Black Sea coast Caucasus.
In the last century, the Arizona agave was on the verge of extinction. There were no more than a hundred copies left. But soon everything returned to normal, and the population decline was stopped.
Agave species
More than three hundred species are known these plants. For many, it is unclear whether an agave cactus is or not. It's a succulent! They are mostly large, adapted to the harsh growing conditions in steppes and semi-deserts.
But among them there are also those that can be grown in indoor culture, their compactness and useful properties make them real regulars on the windowsills of residents of various countries.
Agave blue or tequila
It, along with other species, is used to produce tequila - Mexican alcoholic drink. It grows wild in western Mexico, at an altitude of one and a half kilometers above sea level, in the dry and hot climate characteristic of that area.
The length of the fleshy leaves can reach two meters. After just five years, the plant throws up a five-meter peduncle. Blooming on it yellow flowers pollinated at night bats.
In the production of tequila, a domesticated species is used This plant has a lifespan of up to 14 years. In the state of Pulque there are designated areas for this purpose. special areas-potreros. To obtain juice, only the core of eight-year-old plants is used, otherwise the fermentation process will not begin. A special agrotechnical technique plays a significant role in this - the regrown shoot is broken out and planted separately, and the agave continues to grow.
In this species, up to 30 hard and fleshy leaves covered with a coating of wax can be collected in a basal rosette. Their length, under proper conditions, can reach two meters, and the width at the base up to 25 cm. Some forms have central yellow or white stripes on the leaves.
In fifteen-year-old plants, flowering occurs, which can last up to three weeks and fruiting, after which the agave dies. The flowers of American agave are large, up to 10 cm long. The plant is very light-loving, does not tolerate waterlogging. Agave American yellow-edged has an even shorter stem. There are sharp spines on the tops of the leaves. In accordance with the name, its leaves are bordered with yellowish stripes, which is why the whole plant looks very decorative.
Agave American versicolor is much smaller in size, more compact, and easy to grow at home in a large pot. Distinctive feature This species is considered to have brightly colored leaves - their middle is yellow, the edges are green, and the spines are small. It is unpretentious, you don’t even need to water it in winter, you just need to spray it periodically.
The striped agave has a different color distribution - the leaves are green in the central part and yellow at the edges. Their apical spines are approximately 0.8 cm long. Unfortunately, this species is not suitable for cultivation in small apartments, sharp spines and dense, upward-growing leaves, reaching 70 cm, can be dangerous for children or pets.
Agave Attenuata Salm-Dyck
Agave retinata has a powerful stem reaching a diameter of 15 cm. It can grow up to 1.5 m, be both erect and drooping. At its top there is a rosette with 20 or more smooth-edged, bluish leaves, up to 70 cm long. The stem of the inflorescence can stretch up to 3 m, the flowers are yellow, with a greenish tint.
One of the states of Mexico, Puebla, is considered the birthplace of this plant. Unlike other species, as it grows, it begins to branch. It appears multi-leaved, spherical sockets
The leaves themselves are curved, very pointed at the ends, with spines. WITH inside the keel can be detected. Very beautiful plant, looks especially good with a two-meter peduncle.
Queen Victoria Agave
Many gardeners grow this species at home, because the diameter of the entire plant does not exceed 60 cm. Each of the leaves is no more than 15 cm in length, and their width is 5-7 cm.
The leaves are very decorative, dark green, with lighter oblique lines across the entire surface. On back side there is a keel with a horny line, and at the ends there are several spines, among which one, the longest, stands out.
This plant is quite unusual, since under fairly good conditions it begins to actively grow and form turf. It is quite small, with narrow leathery green leaves, which are decorated with a lighter border and unusual white threads. There are spines up to 1 cm in size on the tops of the leaves. It also looks like filamentous agave.
Agave parasica
Very compact appearance, bush diameter no more than 60 cm. Won very popular among succulent lovers. How home flower Agave has spread throughout the world.
Wide wax leaves, ovoid in shape and bluish in color, ending in brown spines.
Agave brown-yellow
Despite the fact that the plant differs from other species in having a short stem, this does not affect its decorative properties. On the contrary, diameter large plant about two meters, and the leaves can grow up to 120 cm - thanks to this it looks great in flower beds and in special vases.
But you need to take care of it with some caution - there are spines on all the edges of the leaves, and real thorns on the tops.
The size of the rosette of this succulent rarely reaches 50 cm. Most often plant diameter no more than 25 cm. The leaves have a spatulate shape with a jagged, lighter edge. They are about 10 cm wide, and a dark-colored spine grows at the end of each.
When looking at this species, you can understand what the name of the plant is associated with. Indeed, she looks quite intimidating. The strong, serrated edges of the leaves have a horny edge. And although the length of the leaves is no more than 40 cm, the succulent grows a flower stalk of about four meters.
This slow-growing, stemless agave is a real beauty. The plant is quite undemanding to soil quality. Over the years, it forms a large rosette, the size of which can reach up to 2 m. The leaves are long, with a waxy coating and thorns along the entire edge. The color is greenish-blue. Some species may have lighter threads. The height of the peduncle can reach up to 10 m. After the seeds ripen, the plant dies, but a lot of root shoots remain after it.
Care
Agave grows well at home. These are great houseplants, among them stands out for the beauty of agave marginalata, felifera, and agave Vilmorin. Almost all types are quite unpretentious. In spring and summer, in strong sunlight, they do not require shading.
Attention! If there was not enough light all winter, these succulents need to be accustomed to its abundance gradually, this is especially true for young plants. Right choice places in this case can significantly improve their health.
In winter, it is better to move succulents to a cool but bright room and reduce watering. Preferred temperature for them at this time 4–10 °C. If desired, plants can be illuminated or even kept completely on artificial lighting(16 hours a day).
Carefully! Watering must be taken extremely seriously. You can’t “flood” plants, but it’s not recommended to leave them on dry rations either. In summer, watering should be regular, but extremely moderate. In winter, the regime depends on average temperature in room. If the house is warm, water 2-3 times a week. If it is around 10°C, it is recommended to water no more than once a week.
Feeding is done in summer period, once every three weeks with appropriate fertilizers.
Transplanted into soil mixture, consisting of 1 part leaf soil, 3 clay-turf, and one sand.
Adult plants are replanted once every two to three years.
Young every year.
As a rule, there are no difficulties with their reproduction. They are easy grow from seeds, collected in natural conditions in February or March, and seedlings appear quite quickly - within a week. Freshly harvested cuttings are suitable, dried for 2 hours and offspring.
Possible problems when growing agaves are gray mold disease and root rotting if the watering regime is incorrectly chosen. The agave plant is damaged by scale insects and mealybugs.
In this video, be sure to admire the beautiful collection of variegated agaves and listen to expert advice on caring for them:
Beneficial features
In Mexico, agave is very popular and is eaten with pleasure. When processed, ropes are woven from the resulting fibers and various fabrics are made.
The pulp of the leaves is used in making soap. ethnoscience recommends using agave juice as a laxative and diuretic.
Agave leaves are used to treat bruises and reduce bruising. The plant is indispensable in the fight against insects.
This plant can often be seen on the pages of glossy publications.
Amateur flower growers do not ignore it either.
Blue Agave is not a cactus at all, as it might seem at first glance.
It is related to garden, house and sansevieria.
If we talk about the classification of the flower, it belongs to the lily family and is part of the group of succulents that have the ability to store water reserves in the foliage, which are consumed in dry weather.
The uniqueness of the agave
This flower, which grows under the hot sun of Mexico and majestically shoots its giant leaves upward, is the national pride of the country.
It is impossible to confuse agave with any other plant. In addition to other varieties, of which there are more than 130 in total, blue is different special color leaves. It was their shade that predetermined the name of the flower.
Homeland of the blue agave plant, photo
Blue agave grows in the poor soils of the Mexican state of Jalisco, which has a very hot climate. This is the southwestern part of the Mexican Highlands near the Pacific coast.
Here there are unique clay soils of reddish shades, ideal for the best on the planet Agave.
Description of the species
Appearance of the plant
This plant is unpretentious and has strong immunity. It has spiny, fleshy leaves, similar in shape to huge, pointed blades in the shape of a sword. The color of the leaves is noble, with a blue tint. The foliage is very dense and matte to the touch. Its length can reach 2m.
Only in Mexico does true blue agave grow.
In appearance, it resembles plants on the Black Sea or Mediterranean coast, as well as in botanical gardens.
Flowering and pollination
IN natural environment blue agave lives for about 5 years, and it dawns amazingly. A five-meter peduncle appears in the center of the leaves, holding rich yellow flowers. When flowering ends, the seeds ripen and the flower dies.
In order for the plant to live longer, when cultivating it, people do not allow the agave to bloom. The emerging peduncle is immediately removed and planted for germination. Therefore, agricultural flowers live much longer - up to 15 years.
With continued growth, the blue agave develops a huge core - the fruit. From it the world-famous tequila is obtained. How older plant, the richer its juice, that is, the better the agave drink.
The agave flower is pollinated by butterflies, insects and even bats! When night falls, these winged animals fly out of their homes and pollinate the plant. Including for this reason, in regions where agricultural agave grows, the huge number of bats and their population are not reduced.
Blue agave in home gardening
Although domestic agave is similar in appearance to aloe, it differs from the latter in having leathery, dense leaves with sharp thorns at their tips, which gardeners cut off to avoid injury.
Description of the species
Bloom
The plant cannot be expected to bloom, and yet it is valued for its attractive foliage, which is not only powerful and dense, but also with a bluish bloom. The leaves can rise to a height of several meters.
In some representatives of blue agave, the peduncle reaches a length of 12 m.
Kinds
It is believed that the flower has about 300 species, in size for home grown suitable and used no more than 10.
The most common among them are:
Care
Pests and diseases
Agave is often affected weevil.
Because of the bacteria it brings, the flower rots. Old and sickly plants become victims of the beetle. We can say that weevils are orderlies flora. However, when attacking a weak flower, the weevil eats the young shoots along with it. For this reason, it is necessary to promptly remove drying foliage, weakened stems and flower stalks.
In case of weevil damage, it will help " Triazanone"- a product that can be found in garden centers. It is applied to the soil once a month during the season. Sprays should not be used. Weevils hide behind leaves; the spray can only treat them, but not the beetle.
If we talk about agave leaves, the plant does not like excess moisture both in the soil and on the leaves. Succulent leaves that are too wet will burn in the sun.
As the drops evaporate, they burn through the tissues of the flower. And for this reason, spraying blue agave is contraindicated. It is better to wash the plant and wipe its leaves with a dry cloth.
Blue agave at the service of man
Blue agave price and reviews of the flower
The cost of packing seeds is from 30 to 50 rubles. As a rule, it contains 3-5 seeds. Their germination rate is high. As flower growers write on the forums, out of 5 seeds 4 sprout, the plants are strong and do not cause any complaints.
Agave in a bowl, which is offered on the Avito portal and online platforms for used goods, is comparable in cost to seeds. It happens that plants are given away for free when moving.
In flower shops, the cost of blue agave is determined by the size of the plant, its appearance and the presence of one or another bowl. There are masterpiece bowls that are valuable in themselves. On average, a store-bought flower costs 2,000 rubles.
Mexican restaurants offer a dish with blue agave. For about 1,000 rubles you can order fajitas with beef. This dish contains agave leaves along with sweet peppers, cabbage leaves, onions and a special sauce.
Uses of blue agave
This flower is useful to a person in many aspects.
It is used in cooking and pharmacology. Blue agave is a storehouse of vitamins and has many beneficial properties. For example, a sweetener for diabetics is made from blue agave.
The plant is grown under the watchful supervision of the Mexican government. The national Mexican drink made from blue agave is world famous. tequila.
Harvesting
Modern technologies of mechanization and automation have not had an impact on the processes of growing blue agave and its harvesting. As before, all activities are carried out using cheap manual labor.
From planting a flower to harvesting, 8-14 years pass, during which blue agave juice accumulates the maximum amount of carbohydrates and vitamins, ripens and acquires a sickly sweet taste.
In accordance with a decree adopted by the Mexican government in 2006, a requirement was established for the sugar content in the tuber of the plant before harvest. Sugar must be at least 24%.
Agave pickers - jimadores - begin to collect the fruits of the plant during drought, so that the sugar content of the agave is not disrupted during the rainy season. Only Himadors work strong men, since agave fruits are very heavy - weighing from 35 to 90 kg.
Using a sharp instrument called a koa, the jimador cut the fruit of the plant from the foliage and roots. After this, the flower is left with a large core, reminiscent of a huge pineapple, which the Mexicans called piña or cabeza.
Agave in medicine
Application in official medicine
Blue agave has been proven to contain numerous beneficial substances for humans.:
Pharmacology has long appreciated the beneficial qualities of blue agave.
It is used as a component of medications:
- Laxatives and diuretics;
- antipyretic;
- painkillers;
- expectorants and antiseptics;
- used for heartburn and bloating.
The leaves of the plant are used to make ointments for use:
- from rheumatic attacks and attacks of radiculitis;
- for acne (boils);
- for diseases of the genital glands;
- for sprains, injuries and bruises;
Anti-inflammatory drugs are produced from the roots of the flower. venereal diseases and contraceptives.
Use in folk medicine
Mexicans traditionally use the plant in medicinal purposes. It is difficult to name all the areas of application of the flower.
This juice is rich in minerals, osides and osmolytes, which protect the skin from moisture loss and increase skin tone and elasticity. The juice of the plant is used in the production of high-quality tanning products.
Blue agave is strictly contraindicated for those who suffer from diseases of the bile ducts and gallbladder!
Allergy sufferers should use agave preparations with extreme caution. Agave juice in any form or composition of preparations is especially dangerous for pregnant women, since their use can lead to bleeding.
In any case, indoor agave looks very attractive and, as part of medicines, relieves a person of ailments and helps him in everyday life.
