Furcraea hexapetala (Jacq.) Urb. is the most widespread of the Caribbean furcraeas, with a native range extending from southeastern Mexico through the Bahamas, the Greater and Lesser Antilles, Trinidad and Tobago, Venezuela, Ecuador and even the Galápagos Islands. Known as Cuban hemp in the trade, this stemless to shortly stemmed rosette plant has been cultivated for fibre across the Antilles for centuries and is the source of a traditional cordage and rope-making industry in Haiti, Cuba and Jamaica.
For gardeners, Furcraea hexapetala is primarily of interest as a large, armed, architectural rosette for tropical and subtropical landscapes. It is less commonly grown than Furcraea foetida or Furcraea selloa, but its broader natural range and hardier constitution make it a useful alternative for warm coastal gardens. PFAF (Plants For A Future) rates it to UK zone 10, indicating very limited frost tolerance.
Taxonomy and nomenclature
Originally described as Agave hexapetala by Nikolaus Joseph von Jacquin in 1760, the species was transferred to Furcraea by Ignatz Urban in 1903. The epithet hexapetala (six-petalled) refers to the six tepals of the flower. POWO accepts Furcraea hexapetala and lists 12 synonyms, including Furcraea cubensis (Jacq.) Vent. (a name still encountered in older literature), Furcraea cahum Trel., Furcraea macrophylla Baker and Agave cubensis Jacq.
The wide synonymy reflects the broad geographic range and morphological variation of the species. POWO notes that it grows primarily in the seasonally dry tropical biome and has environmental and medicinal uses.
Common names
Cuban hemp, Fique (Antilles); Henequén (Cuba).
Morphological description
Furcraea hexapetala is a large perennial succulent producing a rosette of numerous sword-shaped leaves from a very short woody trunk approximately 7–10 cm in diameter (Useful Tropical Plants). The leaves are about 75 cm long in the description from the RHS Dictionary of Gardening, though other sources report leaves to 1.5 m in favourable conditions. Marginal teeth are present, making this an armed species — though less aggressively so than Furcraea selloa.
The inflorescence is a branched panicle. Like most furcraeas, the species is monocarpic and produces abundant bulbils on the inflorescence after flowering. PFAF notes that bulbils “have the capacity to remain viable for a number of years, even in unfavourable conditions” — a useful trait for propagation.
PFAF classifies it as growing at a fast rate, reaching approximately 1 m height and spread.
Distribution and natural habitat
POWO gives a remarkably broad range: southeastern Mexico, Bahamas, Bermuda, Cayman Islands, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Galápagos, Haiti, Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, Turks and Caicos Islands, Venezuela, and introduced to the Canary Islands. The species grows in the seasonally dry tropical biome — on rocky, dry slopes, coastal scrub and open dry forest on calcareous substrates. Its presence in the Galápagos and Bermuda extends the range further than any other furcraea except the pantropical Furcraea foetida.
It is locally cultivated for fibre in the Antilles and has been listed among the Furcraea species used for fibre production alongside Furcraea andina, Furcraea cabuya and Furcraea quicheensis (PROSEA database).
Cultivation guide
| Hardiness | −2 to −3 °C / 27–28 °F (USDA zone 10) |
| Light | Full sun |
| Soil | Well-drained; tolerates light sandy, loamy and heavy clay soils; mildly acid to mildly alkaline |
| Water | Low to moderate; drought-tolerant once established |
| Growth rate | Fast |
| Flowering | Monocarpic |
PFAF notes that Furcraea hexapetala is suitable for light sandy, medium loamy and heavy clay soils, preferring well-drained conditions. It cannot grow in shade and prefers dry to moist soil. It is drought-tolerant once established. Hardy to UK zone 10 only — meaning essentially frost-free conditions are required for long-term outdoor survival. In areas with frost, container culture with frost-free overwintering is necessary.
Propagation
Primarily by bulbils, which are produced in large numbers on the inflorescence and root readily when they fall to the ground. Seed is rarely produced. Pollination is by birds and bees.
Pests and diseases
Root and crown rot in wet conditions; scale insects and mealybugs on stressed plants; agave snout weevil (Scyphophorus acupunctatus) in regions where the pest is present. No specific pest data beyond the genus-wide threats.
Ethnobotany
POWO notes that Furcraea hexapetala is used to treat muscular-skeletal disorders and abnormalities, has environmental uses, and is used as a poison and medicine. In the Caribbean, the leaves are harvested for fibre production (cordage, rope, hammocks) — the source of the common name Cuban hemp.
Distinguishing Furcraea hexapetala from Furcraea tuberosa
These two Caribbean species can be confused. The CABI compendium on Furcraea foetida notes that Furcraea hexapetala is similar to Furcraea tuberosa. The key distinguishing feature is the tuberous root system of Furcraea tuberosa, which is absent in Furcraea hexapetala. Leaf morphology differs in details of tooth size and spacing, and Furcraea hexapetala tends to have a wider natural range extending to South America, while Furcraea tuberosa is more strictly Caribbean.
References
PFAF (Plants For A Future). Furcraea hexapetala. pfaf.org.
POWO (2026). Furcraea hexapetala (Jacq.) Urb. Plants of the World Online, Kew.
Useful Tropical Plants Database. Furcraea hexapetala. tropical.theferns.info.