The agave plant is a succulent well known for having thick, spiky and structural leaves. Visually striking, this plant can add drama to any outdoor space and is often thought of as a good option for a ...

These spiky succulents demand very specific growing conditions, but if you can check off those boxes, they actually require very little upkeep. Agave plants are virtually synonymous with the ...

“Driving around Santa Barbara all these years, I’ve seen so many clumps of agave that are suitable for making distilled spirits just growing out on their own,” said Richardson, a longtime farmer, ...

California’s fertile farmland — much of it in the San Joaquin Valley — feeds the nation. But all that farming takes a lot of water, which continues to dwindle as the state faces the harsh ...

Farmers in California are trying to plant crops that don't require a lot of water. Some are turning to growing agave as a ...

The sap of agave plants, which is toxic to people if it's not cooked, is harvested from the heart of the plant. It's then extracted, filtered, and heated to create the product sold in stores.

Demand for mezcal was low for years, but interest and sales have soared. The vast majority of the spirit is made in Oaxaca, ...

It's a familiar plant for Rodriguez. He grew up in a small town in the Mexican state of Jalisco, where agave is everywhere. Generations of his family have cultivated the crop. He'd imagined ...