False-Agave, Mauritius-Hemp

Furcraea foetida (L.) Haw.

fur-CRAY-ah FET-af-dah

Liliaceae

Explanation of name: “Named for Comte Antoine Francois de Fourcroy, 18th Century French chemist”(DAV). Foetida means smelly.

Data on this page derived in part from: Verhoek, S. Flora of North America 26: 413, 414, 461. 2003 (online date) who supplied the following remark:

R. W. Long and O. Lakela (1971) mentioned “Furcraea macrophylla Baker as an ornamental that possibly persists in old sites, but I have seen no herbarium specimens that document its presence in Florida. That species is marked by larger leaves with larger, horny, hooked teeth.”

Synonym: Furcraea cabuya Trelease

Natural range: South America, Caribbean, possibly persistent from cultivation in Florida

Recognition: Resembles Agave but differs by having thinner, crinkly, sometimes furrowed  leaves. The leaves may be green, or often are white-striped. The margins tend to be entire in the upper half, or entire for the entire length. Furcraea differs further by having the flowers usually white (vs. typically somewhat yellowish), bowl-shaped (vs. funnel-shaped), and with the filaments swollen basally.

Landscape uses: As an Agave.

Internet source: http://www.fs.fed.us/global/iitf/pdf/shrubs/Furcraea foetida.pdf