Add this herbaceous perennial to your garden to experience a touch of the tropics three seasons long. In spring, a rosette of stiff, sword-shaped leaves stake their claim on an area up to 4 feet wide. A singular stalk with a spike-like wand of small flowers emerges in summer, growing 4 to 6 feet tall and releasing a sweet, fruity scent well into fall. It’s no surprise that this exotic-looking succulent of the Agavaceae family grows easily in dry or very well-drained soils. It has a metabolism similar to cacti and other desert plants, so it’s extremely drought tolerant and well suited for rocky or sandy soils and full sun to light shade. It’s ideal as an ornamental plant for the back of a rock garden--it spreads slowly through rhizomes and benefits from reduced competition from other plants. However, you may want to place it in a more prominent spot to enjoy the fragrance of the gently swaying flower stalks (Manfreda comes from the Greek word for “noble,” referring to the impressive stalks). The small flowers depend upon nocturnal moths for pollination, although other insects also contribute.
 
Eastern false aloe is found in the southeastern and midwestern US, west to Texas. Also known as American agave and Virginia agave, eastern false aloe differs from true agaves in that it blooms multiple times during its lifespan rather than only once. Agaves and aloes resemble each other, but the agaves have different chemical and medicinal properties. Eastern false aloe is also called rattlesnake’s master in some regions because the plant was considered to be an antidote to poisonous snakes.
 
Native habitats include sunny, well-drained areas of prairies; upland rocky glades; and sandy, open woods. Use in rock, drought-tolerant, and native gardens; in naturalized settings; on slopes; in dry, sunny corners of borders; and in containers. It has no significant pest or disease problems. Plant 1 to 3 feet apart.
 
Plant Characteristics:
Grows 3-6’ tall and 3-4’ wide.
 
Prefers full or part sun. Tolerates heat and humidity.
 
Prefers sandy, rocky, well-drained or dry soils but adapts to other soils with very good drainage.
 
Blooms summer to fall with 30-60 three-petaled flowers in clusters on upper end of 4-5’ flower stalk. Each flower is ¾-1¼" long, whitish green or yellowish green, and ascending to erect with 6 strongly exerted stamens. Produces small, oval-shaped, 3-celled capsules with 2 rows of flattened seeds that are wind dispersed. Capsules ripen from green to brown.
 
Succulent, green leaves are 6-20” long and often flecked with maroon spots. The leaves emerge in spring as a basal rosette. Margins are finely serrated and may be flat or very wavy.
 
Stem is pale to medium green, round, and smooth.
 
Wildlife Value:
Cross-pollinated by sphinx moths, noctuid moths, and bumble bees. Also attracts hummingbirds.
 
Medicinal, Edible, and Other Uses:
Eastern false aloe has been used as a laxative and to treat gastric issues.
 
Resources:
Henriette’s Herb: https://www.henriettes-herb.com/eclectic/kings/agave-virg.html
 
Illinois Wildflowers: https://www.illinoiswildflowers.info/savanna/plants/east_agave.html
 
Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center: https://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=mavi5
 
North Carolina Extension: https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/agave-virginica/