Botany
Herb with dense rosette of sword-shaped, stiff and straight grayish green leaves with sharp-pointed tips and prickled margins. Some varieties have white-margined leaves.
Distribution
Introducted to the Philippines.
Ornamental cultivation, providing a spiny accent to gardens.
Constituents and properties
Roots are considered diuretic and diaphoretic.
Uses
Folkloric
No known folkloric use in the Philippines.
In India, fresh juice of leaves applied externally to bruises.
Others
• Agave Nectar is a blend of two agave varieties: A salmiana and A. angustifolia.
Studies
• Studied as alternative gene pools to preserve Agave germplasm diversity for the production of traditional Agave spritis. source
• Mezcal: Study of five agave plants used in Mexico for mezcal production yielded sixteen fatty acids, including capric and lignoceric. Lipids included free fatty acids, ß-sitosterol and groups of mono-, di-, and triacylglycerols.
Availability
Wildcrafted.
Commerce: Agave Nectar, a low-glycemic sweetener, is a blend of two varieties: Agave salmiana and Agave angustifolia.