PlantFiles: Mauritius Hemp, Mediterranean Hemp, Green Aloe, Malagache Aloe
Furcraea foetida

large stemless agave-like plant with straight, lancelote and barely toothed leaves. Much more commonly seen is the variegated form without any teeth on the leaves- F foetida medio-picta.

This is an agave-like plant, sometimes placed amongst the Amaryllidaceae (the belladona lily´s family), sometimes amongst the Agavaceae. Anyway, one could look at this plant and say that this is an agave.

It has rigid, long, lanceolate leaves, with spiny margins. In some varieties the leaves lack spines. It never developes a trunk, staying short (if you don´t count the leaves´ heigh, of course - up to 2m tall) almost all their lives.

Speaking of which, they can live pretty long, and when the final moment aproaches, it uses all the stored energy along the years to produce hundreds of flowers, hanging on a awesomely tall stalk, reaching up to 10m tall! After the flowers fade, the new buds arise from that stalk that can be planted.