Here you can identify plants of the subfamily Agavoideae. This subfamily belongs to the large asparagus family (Asparagaceae).
The most common genera in this subfamily are agaves (Agava) and yuccas (Yucca). Some of these plants are popular garden or house plants.
At first glance, it is not obvious that the plantain lilies (Hosta) also belong to the subfamily Agavoideae. The same goes for the spider plants (Chlorophytum).
AgaveWhat are agaves?
Origin: North America, South America
Agave americanaAmerican Agave
Origin: USA (Texas) to Mexico
Agave angustifoliaCaribbean Agave
Origin: Mexico to Central America
Agave angustifolia “Marginata”Caribbean Agave
Origin: Agave angustifolia is native from Mexico to Central America.
Agave applanataGray Agave
Origin: Mexico
Agave attenuataSwan's Neck Agave
Origin: Mexico
Agave geminifloraTwin Flowered Agave
Origin: Mexico
Height: The rosettes can reach 120 centimeters wide and 100 centimeters high.
USDA zone: 12 (50 °F/10 °C)
Agave macroacanthaBlack Spined Agave
Origin: Mexico
Agave ovatifoliaWhale's Tongue Agave
Origin: Mexico
Agave parrasanaCabbage Head Agave
Origin: Mexico
Agave parryiMescal Agave
Origin: USA (Arizona, Texas) to Mexico
Agave parvifloraSmall Flower Agave
Origin: Mexico
Agave potatorumButterfly Agave
Origin: Mexico
Height: The rosettes can reach 40 centimeters wide and 25 centimeters high.
USDA zone: 12 (50 °F/10 °C)
Agave potatorumButterfly Agave
Origin: Mexico
Height: The rosettes can reach 40 centimeters wide and 25 centimeters high.
USDA zone: 12 (50 °F/10 °C)
Agave potatorum “Mediopicta”Butterfly Agave
Origin: The wild type is native to Mexico.
Height: The rosettes can reach 40 centimeters wide and 25 centimeters high. The flowering shoot reaches lengths of up to 6 meters.
Agave striataNarrow Leaf Century Plant
Origin: Mexico
Agave univittata “Quadricolor”Thorn-Crested Century Plant
Origin: The wild type is native from Texas (USA) to Mexico.
Agave utahensis var. nevadensisClark Mountain Agave
Origin: USA (California to Nevada)
Chlorophytum comosum “Bonnie”Spider Plant, Airplane Plant
Origin: "Bonnie" is a cultivar. Chlorophytum comosum is native to Africa.
Chlorophytum comosum “Variegatum”Spider Plant, Airplane Plant, Ribbonplant
Origin: The wild type is native to Africa (tropical Africa, South Africa) and a naturalized species in other regions.
Height: 20 to 60 centimeters
Yucca rostrataBeaked Yucca
Origin: USA (Texas), Mexico
