Furcraea macdougalii

Macdougals Giant Century Plant

One of the most magnificent and dramatic plants in the Agave family, this species is known only from a small area in Oaxaca, Mexico, where it grows in dry scrubland with only a short rainy season. It forms a thick, straight trunk topped by a very distinct, stiffly erect crown of succulent, thick-based, toothed, dull green leaves to 2 m (7 ft.) long. Older plants can reach a height of 7 m (23 ft.) or more, making it the tallest of all Furcraea and Agave. Its massive inflorescense can reach to about 8 m (25 ft.) tall and, like with Agave, fruiting ends the life of the plant. It is rather fast growing, tolerant of some drought and will do well without additional watering in all but the driest climates. It can take light frosts without damage. Furcraea macdougalii is a much sought after ornamental but has been rather rare in cultivation for lack of propagative material.

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germination comments by our visitors
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Seeds from this species ...

... are easy to germinate and need up to 1 month to sprout.
strong growth from large seeds. give lots of light from the start and go easy on the water once germination starts. very happy with the results. i just wish small seeded agaves were this easy.geoff.
Submitted on 15/08/2006 by GEOFF BREEN guzmadman@yahoo.com.au

... are very easy to germinate and need up to 1 month to sprout.
soaked in nitrozyme mixed at 2ml per litre for one day let dry for one hour then sowed in two parts neem coir fibre and one part perlite keep just damp keep at 85 to 90 f night and day germinated in 8 days 5 out of five came up. 4 weeks later all have one true leaf and growing well
Submitted on 08/08/2006 by kevin gray kevgray@kevandtess.fsnet.co.uk

... are very easy to germinate and need up to 1 month to sprout.
very easy to germinate with temperatures raging from 25¼c at night and 35¼c at day and in only a few days they started poping out
Submitted on 22/06/2006 by joao capelo bidwilli@hotmail.com

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plant cultivation comments by our visitors
Also see germination commnets above.

Plants from this species ...

... are of excellent ornamental value
In QLD, Yeppoon on the Tropic of Capricorn in Australia they need very little care and grow slow.
i found seedlings need full sun from a young age and excellent drainage. i've lost a few through cut worms eating the seedling where it emerges from the ground, plus caterpillar damage on the juicy green leaves. they are slow to develop, but need adequate room in the ground once planted out. once they get settled in they speed up and the trunk will develop. it flares out wide at the base and you need to cut or peel away the dead and dying leaves to expose the trunk properly. good drainage and air movement, otherwise, in a humid climate like mine the leaves can suffer fungal damage. plants look great in well spaced groups in large landscapes. grow them hard and they look great. salt wind exposure is not a problem.
Submitted on 07/10/2006 by Geoff Breen guzmadman@yahoo.com.au

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If you wish to read more on palm cultivation, we highly recommend Ornamental Palm Horticulture by Timothy K. Broschat and Alan W. Meerow, available in our bookshop.

Ratings and comments reflect individual experiences and the views of our visitors. They do not necessarily describe the most appropriate methods, nor are they necessarily valid for all seeds or plants of this species. Germination and plant cultivation success depends on many different factors; nevertheless, these experiences will hopefully aid you in your effort to get the best germination results from our seeds and the best growth results from your plants.

We recommend:

The Encyclopedia of Cultivated Palms
by Robert Lee Riffle, Paul Craft, Scott Zona

2nd edition
Completely revised and updated
Hardcover - 528 pages
11 x 8.5 inches

Our rating:

Suitable for: all

The Encyclopedia of Cultivated Palms is the definitive account of all palms that can be grown for ornamental and economic use. Palms are often underutilized as a result of their unfamiliarity—even to tropical gardeners. To help introduce these valuable plants to a new audience, the authors have exhaustively documented every genus in the palm family.
825 species are described in detail, including cold hardiness, water needs, height, and any special requirements. Generously illustrated with more than 900 photos, including photos of several palm species that have never before appeared in a general encyclopedia, The Encyclopedia of Cultivated Palms is as valuable as an identification guide as it is a practical handbook. Interesting snippets of history, ethnobotany, and biology inform the text and make this a lively catalog of these remarkable plants.

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