Agave parryi Engelm.

Plants acaulescent, freely suckering; rosettes solitary or cespitose, 3.5–7.5 × 4–8.5 dm, somewhat open to dense. Leaves ascending to erect, 7–65 × 4–20 cm; blade glaucous-gray to light green, not cross-zoned, linear-lanceolate to lanceolate or broadly ovate, rigid, adaxially nearly plane to concave toward apex, abaxially convex; margins straight or undulate, rarely unarmed, teeth single, well defined, 3–7(–8) mm, 1–3 cm apart; apical spine dark brown to gray, subulate or acicular, 1.5–4 cm. Scape (2–)3–6 m. Inflorescences broadly paniculate, somewhat open to dense, not bulbiferous; bracts persistent, triangular, 3–10 cm; lateral branches (7–)10–36, horizontal to slightly ascending, comprising distal 1/2 of inflorescence, longer than 10 cm. Flowers 27–48 per cluster, erect, 4.3–8.1 cm; perianth pink to red or red to orange in bud, yellow to yellowish green at anthesis, tube campanulate, 6–18 × 11–21 mm, limb lobes erect to ascending, unequal, 13–27 mm; stamens long-exserted; filaments inserted (sometimes irregularly) above mid perianth tube to just below rim, erect, yellow or green, 3.5–5.8 cm; anthers yellow, 12–34 mm; ovary (2–)3–4.5 (–4.8) cm, neck slightly constricted, 4–9 mm. Capsules short-pedicellate, ovoid or oblong to obovoid, 2.5–5 cm, apex beaked. Seeds 7–8 mm.

It occurs naturally in South-western North America from Arizona to New Mexico in semiarid land between 1300-2400 metres, often experiencing snow in winter with temperatures as low as-18°C for short periods. It suits hardiness zones 7-11. It suits gritty, well drained soils.

The heart of the plant can be eaten after baking. It is sweet but fibrous. The seed is ground into flour and used to thicken soups. The flower stalk can be roasted and used like asparagus. The young leaves are eaten roasted. Sap from the cut flowering stems can be used as a syrup.

Plants can be grown from seed. Seed should be sown on the surface and germinate in 1-3 months at 20°C. The seedlings should be grown in a sunny position until 20 cm tall. Plants can also be grown from offshoots.