Sisal

Sisal - Photo by Fotos GOVBA

Sisal is an agave which is grown as a fiber crop. The fibers can be used to make ropes and mats.

Sisal originates from Mexico. It is closely related to Henequen, which is another agave species grown for its fibers.

Names

Scientific
   Agave sisalana
English
   Sisal
   Sisal hemp
Dutch
   Echte sisal
   Sisal
Spanish
   Sisal
French
   Sisal
German
   Sisal-Agave

Taxonomy

Genus
   Agave
Family
   Agavaceae
Order
   Asparagales

Basic information and facts

Origin:

Mexico

Distribution:

High production of sisal is in Brazil, China, Tanzania, kenya, Madagascar

Annual, biennial, or perennial:

Sisal is perennial; a plant usually lives 7 to 10 years.

Plant:

A Sisal plant consist of a rosette of sword-shaped leaves.

Flowers:

At the end of its 7 to 10 years lifespan, the sisal plant produces a central flowering stem of up to 6 meters tall.

Leaves:

Sisal has sword-shaped leaves that are 1.5 to 2 meters long. The leaves terminate in a sharp spine. Over a period of 7 to 10 years the plant will produce about 200 to 250 leaves. Then it will flower and then it dies.

Fruits:

Sisal is a sterile hybrid, so it does not produce fruits that can be used for propagation.

Climate and weather:

Sisal grows in tropical and sub-tropical climates. the plants prefer temperatures above above 25

Did you know that?

Sisal is sometimes called Sisal hemp, which is confusing because it is not at all related to hemp. The reason for this is that hemp used to be an important fiber crop, and other fiber crops then were named after it.
Sisal fibers can be used to make dartboards.