Native to the central highlands of Mexico, this rosette-forming succulent is found at elevations between 6,000 and 8,000 feet, where it grows in volcanic soils under pine and oak forest canopies. It has been widely introduced as an ornamental in temperate and subtropical regions. It grows in clumps by producing basal offsets and is known for a single, arching flowering spike that can reach 8 to 10 feet tall, densely packed with yellow-green flowers that open from the bottom upward and contain long protruding stamens and thin tubular petals. The inflorescence is sometimes described as swan-necked due to its pronounced downward curvature before arching upward. It typically blooms once between 8 and 15 years of age, after which the main rosette dies, a process known as monocarpic senescence. This species is often cultivated in urban landscaping for its lack of sharp spines, architectural form, and tolerance to poor soils. It is especially valued in California, southern Europe, and Mediterranean-climate parts of Australia. It has earned the Royal Horticultural Society’s Award of Garden Merit for its adaptability and low maintenance. There are several horticultural cultivars including a variegated form with cream-striped leaves and a blue-grey variant with more compact growth. The fragrance of the flowers is light but noticeable, and in native regions the plant is pollinated by bats and moths. It is easily propagated through offsets.