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Friday, December 05, 2025

That Maguey - Agave

Maguey,Calle Amberes  4 December 2025

 

The botanical name for the common Century Plant is Agave americana, a succulent in the Asparagaceae family, known for its large rosettes, sharp spines, and once-in-a-lifetime bloom that leads to its death, though many other species like Agave tequilana (Blue Agave) and Agave angustifolia exist.

I adore agaves which in Mexico are called magueys (plural). Years ago I took some especially lovely portraits of my two granddaughters in the covered pavilion of the Queen Elizabeth Park. The photographs look like they were taken in Mexico.

Rebecca Stewart

 

 Agave Atenuata and my granddaughters

In October 2023 when I was invited to talk in the Zócalo Book Fair of the Zócalo in Mexico I snapped pictures of the very large magueyes that were on one side of the Metropolitan Cathedral.

Mexican Blue 

Agaves and Magueyes 

On December 5, nor far from my Hotel Geneve on Calle Amberes I spotted a maguey. I knew I had to photograph it. I did.