birdandhike.com logo
Home | Vegetation | Plants Index | Agave
Clark Mountain Agave (Agave utahensis var. nevadensis)
Yuccas Around Las Vegas, Vegetation Around Las Vegas
Clark Mountain Agave (Agave utahensis var. nevadensis)

Clark Mountain Agave (Agave utahensis var. nevadensis) is a succulent perennial with short, stout, upright, blue-green leaves that arise from a basal rosette and are well guarded on the edges and tips with spines. In the spring, some plants in a population send up a tall flower stalk that bears many yellow flowers. After a plant blooms, it dies.

Clark Mountain Agave are identified primarily by the medium-length apical spines, the medium-length marginal spines, and the brown to white color of the apical spines. Compare with other varieties of Utah Agave.

Clark Mountain Agave is a locally common species of rocky areas in the Mojave Desert in the Upper Sonoran (Mojave Desert Scrub and Pinyon-Juniper Woodland) life zone. This variety occurs in mountain ranges in California and Nevada; look for it in the Mojave National Preserve, the Spring Mountains, Gold Butte, and the mountain ranges between.

Clark Mountain Agave (Agave utahensis var. nevadensis)

Family: Agave (Agavaceae).

Other Names: century plant.

Plant Form: basal rosette with tall flowering stalk.

Height: Basal leaves to about knee-high, but flowering stalk 6-12 feet.

Trunk: none.

Leaves: Long daggers with spines along the edges and a sharp tip.

Flowers: Blooms in the spring or early summer. Inflorescence a spike. Flowers large, yellowish, and waxy.

Clark Mountain Agave (Agave utahensis var. nevadensis)

Seeds:

Elevation: About 3,000 to 6,000 ft.

Distribution: Southern California and Nevada.

Comments: Judging from the number of agave roasting pits around the desert, these must have been more common at one time.

Clark Mountain Agave (Agave utahensis var. nevadensis) Clark Mountain Agave (Agave utahensis var. nevadensis)
Clark Mountain Agave (Agave utahensis var. nevadensis) Clark Mountain Agave (Agave utahensis var. nevadensis)
Clark Mountain Agave (Agave utahensis var. nevadensis)
Unusual population of tiny agave plants on Mt. Potosi
Clark Mountain Agave (Agave utahensis var. nevadensis)
Medium-length terminal spines
Clark Mountain Agave (Agave utahensis var. nevadensis)
Medium-length terminal spines
Clark Mountain Agave (Agave utahensis var. nevadensis)
Medium-length terminal spines
Clark Mountain Agave (Agave utahensis var. nevadensis)
Medium-length terminal spines
Clark Mountain Agave (Agave utahensis var. nevadensis)
Medium-length terminal spines
Clark Mountain Agave (Agave utahensis var. nevadensis)
Unusual cork-screw shaped terminal spines (Birdspring Range)
Clark Mountain Agave (Agave utahensis var. nevadensis)
Unusual cork-screw shaped terminal spines (Birdspring Range)
Clark Mountain Agave (Agave utahensis var. nevadensis)
Medium-length marginal spines
Clark Mountain Agave (Agave utahensis var. nevadensis)
Medium-length marginal spines
Clark Mountain Agave (Agave utahensis var. nevadensis)
A plant with segments flowing, spent, and waiting to bloom
Clark Mountain Agave (Agave utahensis var. nevadensis)
Flowering stalks sometimes aren't stiff enough, but they still flower
Clark Mountain Agave (Agave utahensis var. nevadensis)
Flowering stalk just getting started
Clark Mountain Agave (Agave utahensis var. nevadensis)
A population of full-flowering agaves
Clark Mountain Agave (Agave utahensis var. nevadensis)
Typical, full flowering stalk
Clark Mountain Agave (Agave utahensis var. nevadensis)
Typical, full flowering stalk
Clark Mountain Agave (Agave utahensis var. nevadensis)
Flower buds along stalk
Clark Mountain Agave (Agave utahensis var. nevadensis)
Fresh flowers
Clark Mountain Agave (Agave utahensis var. nevadensis) Clark Mountain Agave (Agave utahensis var. nevadensis)
Clark Mountain Agave (Agave utahensis var. nevadensis)
Fresh flower
Clark Mountain Agave (Agave utahensis var. nevadensis)
Spent flowers and developing seed pods
Clark Mountain Agave (Agave utahensis var. nevadensis)
Spent flowers and developing seed pods
Clark Mountain Agave (Agave utahensis var. nevadensis)
Dried and open seed pods

Note: All distances, elevations, and other facts are approximate. Names generally follow the USDA database.
copyright; Last updated 220112

All Agave Plant Species Index Glossary Copyright, Conditions, Disclaimer Home
Google Ads