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Healing Ways / Medicine Ways / Healing Plants / Mescal plant, New Mexico, 2011
Color image depicting the broad, spiky leaves of a mescal plant.
Mescal plant, New Mexico, 2011

Mescal or Agave (Mescalero Apache name: Astaneh. Scientific name: Agave parryi)

The mescal plant is primarily used as a food source. The sap is collected and fermented as a mild liquor (pulque), that when distilled produces mescal or tequila. Some other tribes use agave to treat wounds, rashes, chapped lips, and sunburn.

Courtesy R.D. Richins