Metro Tucson harbors a minimum of 113 agave species in its streets, parks, gardens, and nurseries, more than half of all the agaves described in the world.

No metro area in the world other than in Tucson (and perhaps in Mexico City’s El Pedrigal at the National Agave Collection of UNAM) can one see as much agave diversity in public spaces.

At least twenty-six of the agave species grown in Metro Tucson were first described by botanists like Howard Scott Gentry, Greg Starr and Robert Webb who lived in Tucson.

Five are native wild species in the Tucson Basin and adjacent mountain ranges, while several others may have been cultivated prehistorically.

The ten best native plant nurseries in Tucson offer 104 species of agaves and more than 10 hybrid cultivars to grow in Tucson’s yards and gardens.

Tucson’s ten most-visited public spaces like botanical gardens and outdoor museums focus on native plant landscaping and feature 88 agave species for visitors, 16 of which are not currently found in commercial nurseries.

If that doesn’t fill you with awe, then have another shot of mezcal and read it again!

Related posts:

Agave Fest celebrates part of Tucson’s cultural landscape Traditional Fermented Beverages of Mexico: A Biocultural Unseen Foodscape A Conservation of Generosity & Relationships, Gary Paul Nabhan