Eastern False-aloe

Manfreda virginica

Good

Native to Virginia. How scores work Is it native here?

Profile 82%

Height: 3–6 feet
Spread: 3–4 feet
Light: Full sun, Partial shade
Soil moisture: Dry to somewhat dry

Space about 3.5 ft apart from its recorded spread, about 8 per 100 sq ft. Enter your bed size for a count

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Rare or protected plant. Specialist conservation planting; excluded from routine garden suggestions. Plant caution source

Hidden from default planting suggestions. Wildlife value and native status remain unchanged.

At a glance

Life cycle: Perennial
Leaves: Evergreen

Not yet recorded · Bloom

Bloom: NC species account not read yet.

Recorded in 1 Virginia county.

Also found with this plant

Wildlife whose habitat models include habitats this plant grows in, in Virginia. Shared habitat, not food. 93 animals.

Great Crested Flycatcher
Myiarchus crinitus
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Indigo Bunting
Passerina cyanea
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Least Flycatcher
Empidonax minimus
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Loggerhead Shrike
Lanius ludovicianus
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Long-eared Owl
Asio otus
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Northern Rough-winged Swallow
Stelgidopteryx serripennis
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Northern Saw-whet Owl
Aegolius acadicus
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Olive-sided Flycatcher
Contopus cooperi
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Orange-crowned Warbler
Vermivora celata
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Orchard Oriole
Icterus spurius
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Ovenbird
Seiurus aurocapilla
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Pileated Woodpecker
Dryocopus pileatus
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Red-headed Woodpecker
Melanerpes erythrocephalus
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Rose-breasted Grosbeak
Pheucticus ludovicianus
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Spotted Sandpiper
Actitis macularius
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Summer Tanager
Piranga rubra
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Tree Swallow
Tachycineta bicolor
Birds. 1 shared habitat
White-crowned Sparrow
Zonotrichia leucophrys
Birds. 1 shared habitat
White-eyed Vireo
Vireo griseus
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
Sphyrapicus varius
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Yellow-throated Warbler
Dendroica dominica
Birds. 1 shared habitat

All wildlife of Virginia

Ecological relationships

Who uses this plant?

What these records mean

1CaterpillarsGenus host records with ranges including VA

Genus host records with ranges including VA · Agave

Melitara prodenialisEastern Cactus-Boring Moth, Eastern Blue Cactus Borer

Shropshire & Tallamy 2025, Lepidoptera of North America north of Mexico, ZooKeys 1261 (ODbL)

0BeesSoutheastern regional records

0Specialist beesPollen specialists

4BirdsRecorded genus food-resource interactions; not a state feeding claim

Recorded genus food-resource interactions; not a state feeding claim · Agave

Cyrtonyx montezumaeMontezuma Quail
Meleagris gallopavoWild Turkey
Patagioenas fasciataBand-tailed Pigeon
Zenaida asiaticaWhite-winged Dove

Hurlbert, Olsen, Sawyer & Winner 2021, Avian Diet Database, Scientific Data 8: 260 (CC0)

Direct food only: birds recorded eating this genus across North America. Caterpillars on host plants also feed nesting birds. NC Native Plant Society: butterfly gardening

No records yet · Ants · Beetles · Flies · Adult butterflies / moths · Other wasps · Other insects

Growing and identification

Plant details

Family: Agavaceae
Hardiness: Zones 6a–9b
Soil pH: Alkaline
Flower color: Yellow or green

What its natural habitat tells you

Growing sources and scope

Flower color · “Yellow or green” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox (ranked first; Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center differs)
Hardiness · “Zones 6a–9b” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox (ranked first; Missouri Botanical Garden Plant Finder differs)
Height · “3–6 feet” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
Leaves · “Evergreen” · Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center
Life cycle · “Perennial” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
Light · “Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day); Partial shade (direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox (ranked first; Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, Missouri Botanical Garden Plant Finder differ)
Soil · “Occasionally dry; Very dry” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox (ranked first; Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, Missouri Botanical Garden Plant Finder differ)
Soil pH · “Alkaline” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
Spread · “3–4 feet” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox

Also known as

Agave; Agave virginica; Eastern False aloe; False Aloe; Rattle Snake Master

Conservation status

Virginia rank	S2
Global rank	G5
VA status	Not verified
Federal status	Not verified

Conservation source Global and federal source

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