About Agave lophantha Schiede
Scientific name: Agave lophantha Schiede Agave univittata, commonly called the thorn-crested century plant or thorn-crested agave, is a plant species native to coastal areas of southern Texas, United States, and northeastern Mexico, where it grows at elevations below 100 m (300 feet). Many botanists, including Howard Scott Gentry, have widely referred to this species as Agave lophantha. However, the name Agave univittata is older, so it follows botanical nomenclatural rules as the correct name. This species has thick, fleshy leaves that are stiff, with wavy, undulate margins. Sharp, prominent spines grow along the leaf edges and at the leaf tips. Its flowering stalk can reach up to 5 m (16 feet) tall, and bears flowers that range from greenish-white to yellowish green. Agave univittata is cultivated as an ornamental plant. In the United Kingdom, the cultivar 'Quadricolor' has received the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit. Because this species has a wide distribution and its overall population remains stable, the IUCN does not classify it as a threatened species.
