Furcraea foetida Seeds | Mauritius Hemp
LATIN NAME: Furcraea foetida
COMMON NAME: Mauritius Hemp
Plant Profile
Furcraea foetida, commonly known as Mauritius Hemp, is a herb in the agave family. The Mauritius hemp stands bold, sword-shaped leaves in great, spiny rosettes, tall spike of greenish-white flowers rising from middle, and the whole plant carries the fine, bold look of the dry hillside. It is a plant of open, sunny, light, sandy, well-drained ground. Taken as a whole, it is a plant that repays a little attention many times over.
Science & Biotechnology
Furcraea foetida sits in the agave family, a group that keeps botanists, horticulturists and plant breeders busy with questions of classification, adaptation and ornamental potential. Modern propagation practice has made this species straightforward to raise by ordinary good methods.
Uses & Benefits
Mauritius Hemp works well in borders, containers and dedicated beds. The Mauritius hemp is a bold, useful plant of dry hillside and study collection. It is grown for its fibre and its place in old practice rather than for the table. It is a bold, useful plant of open, sunny, light, sandy, well-drained garden. Beyond the establishment year, its needs are simple and few.
Beyond its looks, it serves the wider garden: the flowers feed bees, butterflies and other beneficial insects, and stems cut for the vase bring the season indoors.
Growing from Seed
Mauritius Hemp is one of those generous plants that come along well from seed. Use a fine, free-draining seed compost, scatter the seed evenly, cover it lightly and hold it just moist in good light. Prick the seedlings out once they are large enough to handle, grow them on in bright light, and plant out when conditions allow.
Our Take
Once established, Mauritius Hemp largely looks after itself. Young plants want steady water; older plants take conditions as they come.
Related Reading
Continue exploring with these related plants: