The Blue Agave

The agave is not a cactus as rumored, but belongs to the lily family and has long spiny leaves (pincas). The specific plant that is used to make tequila is the Weber blue agave. It takes 8-12 years for the agave to reach maturity. During harvest, the leaves are cut off leaving the heart of the plant or pina which looks like a large pineapple when the jimadors are done. The harvested pina may weigh 200 pounds or more and is chopped into smaller pieces for cooking at the distillery.
This beautiful agave forms clumps with rosettes which individually are 2 1/2 feet tall by to 3 feet wide. Older clumps build up to form large dense masses to up to 5 feet tall. The flexible blue-green leaves have finely serrate margins and terminal spine. The blue cast to the leaves form from a glaucus waxy cuticle that covers the surface of the younger leaves.