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Common name
HenequénScientific name
Agave fourcroydesDescription
Henequén has sword-like leaves built to handle dry heat. The whole plant looks like it’s wearing an armor of stiff, spined blades.Size
7-10 ft (2.13-3.05 m)States
Campeche; Quintana Roo; YucatánGeo region
Yucatán PeninsulaTerrain
Lowland limestone plains and coastal scrub in the Yucatan; largely cultivated in dry tropical conditionsMezcal use
Major plantation crop for henequen fiber (ropes, twine); fermented piña used for regional mezcal and pulque; widely cultivatedProducers
Erstwhile