Tucson Botanical Gardens: Pre-contact Agaves in the Southwestern United States – Rediscovering Lost Crops among the Hohokam and other Arizona Cultures

Agaves have long been recognized for their importance in Mesoamerica, but their significance to Indigenous peoples north of the U.S.–Mexico border has only recently gained broader attention.

Research shows that pre-Columbian farmers cultivated multiple domesticated agave varieties in Arizona as early as A.D. 600, with many surviving today as living remnants of ancient agricultural systems. These plants provide valuable insights into prehistoric farming, trade, and migration, while DNA and morphological studies suggest Arizona may have been a secondary center of agave domestication. Learn how this work highlights the importance of integrating botany, archaeology, and Indigenous knowledge to better understand the cultural and ecological history of these remarkable plants.