If you asked me what feature I love most about agaves, aloes, and cohorts, I wouldn’t know what to say. At least not right away. But if you pushed a little harder, I’d probably blurt out, “the teeth!”
Yep, the teeth. Those small, pointy, and often sharp protrusions along the leaf margin.
Why? Because they’re fierce (those plants know how to defend themselves!), and they’re oh so photogenic.
See for yourself!
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| Agave horrida |
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| Agave oteroi |
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| Agave oteroi ‘Filigree’ |
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| Agave oteroi ‘Filigree’ |
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| Agave (potatorum ‘Spawn’ × isthmensis) × shawii |
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| Agave impressa |
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| Agave impressa |
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| Agave bovicornuta ‘Holstein’ |
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| Agave bovicornuta ‘Holstein’ |
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| Agave pablocarrilloi × isthmensis |
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| Agave pablocarrilloi × isthmensis |
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| Agave ‘Baccarat’ |
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| Agave ‘Sierra Azul’ |
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| Agave ‘Sierra Azul’ |
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| Dyckia ‘Snaggletooth’ |
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| Dyckia ‘Snaggletooth’ |
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| Hechtia argentea |
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| Bromelia pinguin ‘Qué será’ |
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| Hechtia epigyna |
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| Aloe aculeata ‘Super Spiney’ |
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| Aloe aculeata ‘Super Spiney’ |
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| Aloe erinacea |
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| Aloe erinacea hybrid |
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| Aloe ankoberensis |
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| Aloe ‘Swordfish’ |
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| Aloe ‘Wahoo’ |
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| Aloe ‘Sawbones’ |
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| Aloe ‘Sawbones’ |
If you’re wondering what the point of this post is: There isn’t one, other than to show you how frigging cool these plants are.
© Gerhard Bock, 2026. All rights reserved. To receive all new posts by email, please subscribe here.
And that's a very good point! Love impressa, I haven't grown that one in a while.
ReplyDeleteImpressa is so hard to find these days. But so beautiful.
DeleteAh yes... this was a fabulous spiny photo essay!
ReplyDeleteI knew you'd enjoy it.
DeleteTheir teeth ARE impressive!
ReplyDeleteThe teeth are quite different from the agaves to the dyckias and hechtias to the aloes. I like seeing the variability. I've been sliced open by dyckias and stabbed by agaves, but I've never had an aloe draw blood - are there any aloes with tough enough teeth that can cut skin?
ReplyDeleteMany aloes actually have pretty sharp teeth. They may not look all that bad, but when you work around them, they draw blood.
DeleteThese are great photos, really like this.
ReplyDeleteWhat fine teeth! Clearly you've been keeping on top of flossing and brushing.
ReplyDeleteha!
Delete