Agave vilmoriniana, sometimes misspelled vilmoriana, and popularly known as octopus agave, is a species of agave endemic to Mexico. It is known for its untoothed arching and twisting leaves.Howard Scott Gentry, Agaves of Continental North America (University of Arizona Press, 1982) pp. 82-85
Taxonomy Wild plants had been found in 1899 by Joseph Nelson Rose near Guadalajara, Jalisco. The species was named by Alwin Berger in 1913 in honor of Maurice de Vilmorin, based on specimens collected by Leon Diguet and grown at the Jardin des Plantes in Paris.Alwin Berger, Die Agaven, Jena, 1915.
Distribution In nature, the octopus agave prefers the cliffs of barrancas of southern Sonora, Chihuahua, Sinaloa, Jalisco, Durango, Nayarit and Aguascalientes, typically between elevations of .CONABIO. 2009. Catálogo taxonómico de especies de México. 1. In Capital Nat. México. CONABIO, Mexico City.
Uses Agave vilmoriniana has one of the highest concentrations of the sapogenin smilagenin; in parts of México, the leaves are cut and dried, and the fibers are beaten to make them into a brush with built-in soap.
The "octopus agave" is cultivated as an ornamental plant for planting in arid gardens and containers.
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