# Tuberose (*Agave amica*)

Tuberose is a fragrant flower known for its sweet scent. It blooms in clusters of white flowers that are often used in perfumes and decorations.

- **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant)
- **Rarity:** Common
- **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low
- **Habitat:** Tropical regions
- **Also known as:** Polianthes tuberosa

![Tuberose](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Polianthes_tuberosa%252C_Burdwan%252C_West_Bengal%252C_India_25_10_2012.jpg&width=800)

Photo: JDP90 (Joydeep), CC BY-SA 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Polianthes_tuberosa%252C_Burdwan%252C_West_Bengal%252C_India_25_10_2012.jpg)

## Appearance

The Tuberose has a tall, slender stem reaching up to 4 feet, topped with a spike of waxy, star-shaped flowers. Its typically pure white blooms, sometimes with a blush of pink, open sequentially, creating a distinctive and elegant tower of fragrance.

## Taxonomy

- **Kingdom:** Plantae
- **Phylum:** Tracheophyta
- **Class:** Liliopsida
- **Order:** Asparagales
- **Family:** Asparagaceae
- **Genus:** Agave

## Interesting facts

- A Tuberose flower spike can bloom for months, continuously opening new fragrant blossoms!
- Ancient Aztecs called it 'Omixochitl,' meaning 'bone flower,' for its waxy, pale blooms.
- Its intense fragrance is key in some of the world's most expensive perfumes!
- Named for its 'tuberous' root, it's not actually a type of rose!

## Special abilities

- **Night Scent Power:** Tuberose releases a powerful, sweet scent at night that helps it attract specific nocturnal insect pollinators.
- **Energy Storehouse:** Tuberose has a bulbous underground stem that stores energy, helping it survive harsh conditions and regrow.

## Measurements & details

- **Height:** 60-120 cm
- **Spread:** 15-30 cm
- **Flower Size:** 2-4 cm
- **Bloom Season:** Summer to Fall
- **Edible:** No
- **Toxicity:** Mild
- **Lifecycle:** Perennial
- **Pollination Method:** Insect

## Ecological connections

- **Pollinates:** Tobacco hornworm moth (*Manduca sexta*) — attracted by its strong night fragrance
- **Eaten by:** Green peach aphid (*Myzus persicae*) — a common pest that feeds on sap
- **Parasitizes:** Southern blight fungus (*Sclerotium rolfsii*) — causes stem and root rot in plants

## Traits

- [Aromatic](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/aromatic): Aromatic plants produce and emit fragrant volatile organic compounds, often for defense or to attract pollinators.
- [Ornamental](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/ornamental): Ornamental plants are cultivated primarily for their aesthetic appeal, enhancing landscapes and gardens with their attractive foliage, flowers, or form.
- [Cluster Flower](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/cluster-flower): Cluster flowers are inflorescences where individual flowers are arranged closely together on a common stem.
- [Fragrant Flower](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/fragrant-flower): Fragrant flowers emit a pleasant aroma, often to attract pollinators or for defense.
- [Night Blooming](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/night-blooming): Night blooming plants open their flowers after sunset, often to attract nocturnal pollinators with their scent and appearance.

## Collections

- [Flowers](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/flowers)

## Safety

**Danger:** 1/5 · Very low

Enjoy the beauty of tuberose flowers from a safe distance and avoid touching or picking them.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### How to identify Tuberose?

Count the petals where you can, then compare the flower's center, its symmetry, how the blooms are grouped and the leaves below. Color varies between garden varieties and shifts with the light. Flower Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details.

### How tall is Tuberose?

60-120 cm

### How wide does Tuberose spread?

15-30 cm

### How big are the flowers on Tuberose?

2-4 cm

### When does Tuberose bloom?

Summer to Fall

### Is Tuberose edible?

No

### Is Tuberose toxic?

Mild

### What is Tuberose's lifecycle?

Perennial

## More Plants

- [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*)
- [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*)
- [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*)
- [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*)

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Source: [Tuberose: Characteristics, Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tuberose)