Agave horrida
Mexcalmetl
A small to medium sized agave with symmetrical solitary rosettes to 1 to 2 feet tall by 2 to 3 feet wide with mid to dark green leaves that have large long often recurved brown teeth along the leaf margins, that with age bleach out to gray, standing out well against the darker green leaves. Like all agaves, this species is monocarpic (blooms at the end of its life). The flowers are yellow and appear on stalks that can grows over 15’ tall.
Plant in full to part sun or even bright shade, avoid reflective heat in the low desert. Provide good drainage and low to moderate water when established. Temperatures in the mid 20s will damage some of the leaves, but they can grow out of this. Hardy to the lower 20s °F.
Agave horrida has a pollination system with a tendency to specialize to nectarivorous bats. Consequently, this agave depends largely (but not exclusively) on these bats for its reproductive success.
This species is used to make 'Mexcalli,' a type of mescal.
The genus Agave is derived from Greek mythology being the daughter of Cadmus, who supposedly founded the city of Thebes; it generally translates to mean “noble’. The specific epithet is from the Latin word meaning "bristly", "prickly" or rough and is in reference to the large teeth on the leaf margins
It grows naturally on rocky volcanic slopes and lava fields at elevations between 6,900 and 7,800 feet central Mexico in the states of Morelos, Queretaro and San Luis Potosi.