Plants acaulescent or short-stemmed, trunks less than 2 m; rosettes open or dense. Leaves erect, ascending, or frequently reflexed, 100–200 × 15–25 cm; blade light green to green or glaucous-gray, sometimes variegated yellow or whitish, especially in cultivated forms, sometimes cross-zoned, lanceolate, adaxially plane and somewhat guttered near base, abaxially convex near base; margins straight or undulate to crenate, teeth 5–10 mm; apical spine conical or subulate, 2–5 cm. Scape 5–9 m. Inflorescences: lateral branches 15–35. Flowers 7–10 cm; perianth tube 8–20 × 12–20 cm; ovary 3–4.5 cm. Capsules 4–8 cm. Seeds unknown.

Varieties 3 (2 in the flora): sw United States, Mexico.