You may not realize it when you ’re knocking back a margarita at the barroom , but the tequila in that cocktail in all probability begin part as a humble industrial plant . A sturdy succulent called the blue century plant help to allow for the nectar that turn over tequila its innate sweetness . But along with being a important component of making liquors , the blue agave is a heavy houseplant . Thanks to its hardiness and lovely coming into court , it ’s a smashing succulent for everyone from begin gardener to green thumbs .
Blue Agave Plant Uses
Blue agave plants are known in part for their outstanding appearance . When small , they have a green rose window shape but can quickly grow into big , bush - shaped plants with green spiky leaves jutting out of it . Sometimes , they reach more than five feet foresighted and high . They ’re outstanding natural additions to any family , whether you keep them as small plant for a sunny windowsill or let them raise wild to give your backyard a charming desert feel .
Different character of agave plant , which dot landscapes across Mexico and in the American Southwest , are n’t just great for landscape gardening . Thanks to strong leaves and a instinctive sweet , they ’ve been used to make a panoptic variety of products , include hard liquor , Mexican valium , nett and sturdy sandals . In increase , their flowers and stalks can be cooked and eaten .
Blue Agave in Tequila
The blue agave , or theagave tequilana , is , as its name implies , the plant most assort with the making of tequila . Also sometimes referred to as a blue agave cactus or tequila cactus , the plant gives its heart to make the popular liquor . The purest tequila come from the gloomy Weber , a specific case of the blue agave industrial plant .
harvester take away the pith of the blue agave plant at least seven year into its animation . That heart is then wake and squeeze to grow aguamiel , which is the name of the fool that the blue agave heart releases . Aguamiel is believed to have healing properties and is sometimes used in traditional practice of medicine . But in tequila yield , it ’s ferment and distilled , helping to turn it into different type of liquors including tequila , mezcal and pulque .
Agave Plant Care
As more people become concerned in brewing their own spirits , the blue agave has grown in popularity among those who want to make agave plant tequila . Others just require to add the succulent to their home or garden . No matter the reason , a blue agave plant is comparatively leisurely to take guardianship of with the right light and soil .
The puritanic agave plant farm good in sphere like the American Southwest and Mexico . They like full sunlight , although some shade is okay , too , and soil that ’s arenaceous , bouldered and free - draining . If you ’re grow a blue agave industrial plant outdoors in that climate , you ’re in luck . All you need to do is plant it and give it water system every few calendar week , especially if it ’s been dryer than usual .
If you ’re growing a blue American aloe as an indoor houseplant , especially in an domain that does n’t get much sun , the plant will require a little more employment . Still , this is a hardy succulent that does n’t ask about as much fear as fussier houseplants , so it ’s great for anyone who has n’t quite hone their green thumb .
Pot your agave plant in a soil commixture that ’s rocky and well - draining . You do n’t have to rub too much about pot sizing . While some plants need room for roots to turn long , puritanical agaves are succulents that take a while to outgrow their home . You in all likelihood can wait two to three year between repottings .
check that the agave get plenty of sunlight each 24-hour interval . Many mass be intimate put them on windowsills or screened in porches to help them soak up all the sun that they crave . The flora wants more sunlight than water supply . Exactly how much water your blue century plant takes will depend on its sizing , location and the climate , but you may typically water it anywhere from every calendar week to every month . When you get the soil beneath the plant completely dry , give it about an inch or two of water and verify it drain well .
With the correct sunshine and a little love , the blue agave plant can be a mending in your home for old age to come .
