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Floristic Inventory of the Florida Keys Database Online

Agave sisalana Perrine
Sisal-hemp

Agave sisalana
Copyright by: George D. Gann, 2018
Naturalized in Sunny Palms Pineland, Miami-Dade County, FL
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Family: Asparagaceae

Group: Monocot

Substrate: Terrestrial

Habit: Shrub

Perennation: Perennial

Native Range: Southern Mexico; widely cultivated and naturalized.

Map of select IRC data for peninsular Florida

SOUTH FLORIDA Occurrence: Present

SOUTH FLORIDA Native Status: Not Native, Naturalized

South Florida History and Distribution: This was introduced to Indian Key in Monroe County in 1833 by Henry Perrine, and from there to Africa, Asia, and tropical America. It became both one of the world’s most important strong fiber crops, and one of its most aggressive invasive weeds.

SOUTH FLORIDA Cultivated Status: Cultivated

Comments: For a review of the origin and history of Agave sisalana, see Trejo-Torres et al. (2018), written by IRC Associate Carlos Trejo, George Gann, and Maarten Christenhusz.

Synonyms: A. rigida, misapplied.

FLORIDA KEYS Occurrence: Present

FLORIDA KEYS Native Status: Not Native, Naturalized

Map of select IRC data for the Florida Keys

Florida Keys History and Distribution: Reported in 1913 by John Kunkel Small for pinelands and disturbed sites in the lower Keys. This is widely naturalized and highly invasive throughout the Florida Keys.

Other data on Agave sisalana available from :

Atlas of Florida Vascular Plants

Agave sisalana has been reported from the following 21 conservation areas in the FLORIDA KEYS :
Occurrence Native Status
Attwood Addition, Indian Key Historic State Park Present Not Native, Naturalized
Bahia Honda State Park Present Not Native, Naturalized
Biscayne National Park, Florida Keys Section Present Not Native, Naturalized
Blue Heron Hammock, Florida Keys Wildlife and Environmental Area Present Not Native, Naturalized
Curry Hammock State Park Reported
Dagny Johnson Key Largo Hammocks Botanical State Park Possibly Extirpated Not Native, Naturalized
Dove Creek Hammocks, Florida Keys Wildlife and Environmental Area Present Not Native, Naturalized
Dry Tortugas National Park Present Not Native, Naturalized
Great White Heron National Wildlife Refuge Present Not Native, Naturalized
Indian Key Historic State Park Present Not Native, Naturalized
John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park Present Not Native, Naturalized
Key West National Wildlife Refuge Present Not Native, Naturalized
Lignumvitae Key Botanical State Park Present Not Native, Naturalized
Lignumvitae Key Botanical State Park, Klopp Tract Present Not Native, Naturalized
Little Torch Hammocks, Florida Keys Wildlife and Environmental Area Present Not Native, Cultivated Only
Long Key State Park Reported
National Key Deer Refuge Present Not Native, Naturalized
Snake Creek Hammocks, Florida Keys Wildlife and Environmental Area Present Not Native, Naturalized
Spoonbill Sound Hammocks, Florida Keys Wildlife and Environmental Area Present Not Native, Naturalized
Sugarloaf Hammocks, Florida Keys Wildlife and Environmental Area Present Not Native, Naturalized
Windley Key Fossil Reef Geological State Park Present Not Native, Naturalized




Agave sisalana has been reported for the following 5 habitats in THE FLORIDA KEYS :
Beach Dune
Disturbed Upland
Keys Cactus Barren
Pine Rockland
Rockland Hammock


All Images:

Agave sisalana
Copyright by: George D. Gann, 2018
Naturalized in Sunny Palms Pineland, Miami-Dade County, FL
Expand
Agave sisalana
Copyright by: George D. Gann