Agave shawii

The infraspecific taxa are variously labeled as varieties or subspecies, depending on the source.[6][9][10][13]

• Agave shawii subsp. shawii — The autonymous subspecies. The southernmost "typical" plants that can easily be distinguished occur near San Quintin. Near El Rosario, both subspecies become difficult to discern.[13]
• Agave shawii subsp. goldmaniana (Trel.) Gentry — Commonly known as the Goldman agave. The rosette leaves are 40–70 cm (16–28 in) long, and 10–18 cm (3.9–7.1 in) wide, shaped lanceolate. The inflorescence has 18–25 umbels on a 3–5 meter stem. The long and broader shape of the inflorescence, along with the narrow leaves set it apart from the typical subspecies. It predominates in the coast and desert of the southern part of Baja California state.[7] This subspecies has much higher rates of seed set and seedling recruitment compared to subsp. shawii.[13]

Agave sebastiana, a plant native to Cedros Island and the Vizcaino Peninsula, was formerly placed in this species as Agave shawii var. sebastiana.[14]

Agave shawii is cultivated as an ornamental plant, by specialty plant nurseries. It is used in cactus and succulent gardens, containers,[16] and for drought tolerant and wildlife gardens.[17]

Plants enjoy a sandy loam soil that has good drainage. It is recommended to plant in a location where the sharp spines will not be a hazard. Virtually disease free except for scale insects.[18] Roots are very rapid responders to rain and dry plants start growing feeder (rain) roots after exposure to the rain. Plants develop best color when exposed to full sun along the coast. Some relief from the hot afternoon sun in the inland valleys with partial shade would provide the best results for growers. Within the United States, it is not recommended to grow this plant in desert locations like Las Vegas, but it will thrive in coastal locations from San Diego to San Francisco.[17]

In a preservation effort, Shaw's agaves were introduced into the Torrey Pines State Reserve and Cabrillo National Monument in San Diego, California and have established themselves.[19] There is also large colony of Shaw's Agave in the San Diego Botanic Garden located in Encinitas, California.[20] The San Elijo Lagoon Nature Center in Encinitas also has Shaw's agaves planted as part of their California native plant xeriscaping.[21]

The coastal agave (Tiipai: me’ellh, ma’alh, ma’alh jas’ilh, Paipai: me’elh jas’ilh ruii kiyak) was widely utilized by indigenous peoples until the European colonization of the Americas forced natives away from the coastal region where Agave shawii occurs. Subsequently, the lack of interaction between native peoples and their agaves led to the decay of knowledge regarding the usage of the local agaves, with the cultivation of agaves in the entire Kumeyaay-Paipai cultural region now only occurring in the village of Santa Catarina.[22]

The Spanish explorers and missionaries from Sebastián Vizcaíno and Junipero Serra's expeditions noticed the usage of the agave for fiber and food. Serra said on his arrival to the coast near El Descanso, "We saw the land was covered with very good mescal but I think the Indians pay little attention to it due to the abundance of fish and other foods."[23] Serra's observations fail to take into account the seasonal changes in the food supply, as the agave was heavily utilized in other months. Juan Crespí stated that the related Agave deserti was "...a delicious, sweet preserve. This is the wretched heathens’ daily bread."[24]

Agaves had high importance for indigenous food networks, but today the laborious effort of preparing the agaves is rarely undertaken. Preparation of the agave for consumption included locating suitable heads, using a digging stick to extract the heads, constructing an earth oven, where the agave head would be cooked for two days before it was ready to eat. Importance of the agave as a food is supported by archaeological records showing high dental attrition in the remains of indigenous peoples, likely due to the frequent consumption of tough plant fibers from the agave.[8]

The fiber of the agave would have been put to a great variety of uses, for making belts, bowstrings, carrying nets, cordage, sandals, and other indispensable items.[25] Vizcaíno noted that the cordage was used by fishermen to create lines of much higher quality than his own. Some Paipai women still produce agave fiber products today, which are sold as handicrafts, but also offer to teach both natives and non-natives throughout the region.[8][22]