Agave plants with their iconic leaves and striking appearance , bring a dramatic comportment and add a bold , geometrical refinement to landscape architecture . Agaves are well suited for the extremely desiccate conditions of the desert , with tough , briary exteriors that protect their highly sought - after wet from natural predator . Although century plant share intrinsic trait coarse to all succulents , such as dense fleshiness and swollen leaves , several other characteristic determine them apart from other plants in their categorisation .
All 270 recognized species of the agave are discover by the leathery leaves that eddy around a central core in a rosette formation . The leaves grow from a lower limit of 6 to up to 20 in in length , and the edges are rimmed with teeth . They mature in eight to 10 years and then only once ; the blossom saps the plant of its vigor before go . The mature plant drops “ puppy ” that are its way of life of propagating itself . They are drought resistant and require little upkeep .
Characteristics of Agave Plants
Leaves
Agave leave are lush or semi - lush and are short and broad in some species while long and narrow in others . The fleshy agave parting , which vary in color from immature to bluish- or grayish - unripened and sometimes striped or mottled , are arranged in rosettes that can valuate from only a few in wide to more than 12 feet across and tall . Agave leaf margins usually have sharp spine and each leaf tip broadly has a sharp stiff vertebral column , although a few agave species lack backbone .
Flower Stalk and Flowers
As an agave plant life ages , it accumulates , over many years , a large amount of sugar and starch in the heart tissue at the center of the rosette of foliage , fueling the growth of a tall , bifurcate or unbranching flower stem , usually after at least 10 to 30 yr of vegetative development . The rapidly developing shuck can uprise 6 to 40 foot above the stem canker and the short , tubular flowers at the top of the angry walk are white , yellow or rosiness - colorful .
Pups and bulblet
While nearly all agaves decease short after flowering , most bring forth vegetative offshoots known as puppy , or suckers , before or after florescence . Each puppy , which emerges from near the stem of the parent plant , has a rosette of leaves itself . These pups can form colony , if leave intact , or you’re able to grok them up and sever them from the parent agave and plant them elsewhere . Some species of agave green goods bulblet , or plantlets , on the blossoming husk .
Root System
The century plant ’s theme system is shallow and does not broaden far beyond the above - ground portion of the plant , but it is blanket and slow . The agave root organization is plan to help the agave efficiently capture moisture from rain , condensation and dew . Most agave also produce underground sucker that allow the plant to multiply and form Colony , which can become quite expectant . Excellent drainage around agave roots is exceedingly important .
List of Types of Agave Plants
Spider agave
aboriginal to rocky cliffs of primal Mexico , spider agave ( Agave bracteosa ) have arching , flexible , lithesome leaves growing from a central point , make them resemble many - legged spider perched on the rocks . intermediate - green leave are about 2 feet retentive . Spider agave produce spike - like flower stalks bearing copious yellow bloom and is one of the few agave varieties that does not die after blooming .
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Blue agave
The foresighted low - gray leaves have shrewd tooth along the edges and a last spine that is surd and sharp enough to pierce through bone . You should dig up and transplant a drab century plant if it grow to interfere with foot traffic where the flora could cause hurt , especially to children and pets . The telling racy agave may get through a peak of 6 to 8 feet and grow just as wide . The mature blue century plant shoots an edible flush stalking over 15 feet grandiloquent , which signals the approach of life ’s end .
Agave americana
The Agave americana also snuff it by the usual names of American aloe or one C industrial plant . The leafage of the Century plant consists of rosettes that are unbending but rather fleshy along with leaves that have setose edge . It is gray - leafy vegetable in color . The flowers of the Agave americana is light-green - yellow in color and can grow up to 8 cm in length in clusters . These flowers uprise on a large stem that reaches elevation much grandiloquent than the actual plant .
White hair agave
The white hair agave is an extra pocket-size species forming solitary or agglomerative balls of numerous , narrow-minded farewell . It is alone in the genus and key by the very special full doughnut of white capillary fiber just underneath the last backbone .
From a space , it looks like cotton nut on the destruction of each leaf , however , the unexampled leaves do not gestate hair , but the burred area around the terminal spine looks a bit like the tip of a triangular wooden pencil that open like a mesemb capsule to disclose the Charles Percy Snow - white fibre . It is very slow - growing and will maturate to around 30 cm in diameter .
Agave angustifolia
Agave angustifolia is grown for its prominent contour and ability to withstand periods of little or no water system . It is very popular in small courtyards and outdoor pots . The thick leave have serrated edges in a rosette formation . It may take 10 twelvemonth to flower but when it does the flush is quite spectacular . The prime inflorescence appears at the end of marvelous stalk ( up to 2.5 m ) . The plant develops chump from the base and bulbils from along the stubble that fall off and and originate into new plants .
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Agave ‘Kissho Kan’
Agave ‘ Kissho Kan ’ absolutely forms a harmonious rosette of thick , rigid , gentle silver - blueing to blue - green leaves . The leafage is adorned with creamy white toothed margin and leaf spine , which emerge lily-livered , change to pale brown before twist dark reddish - brown . Quite covenant , ‘ Kissho Kan ’ is a terrific addition to quite a little or container . Mature plants acquire offshoots that can be rooted and propagated well .
Twin-flowered agave
The growth bod of twin - flowered agave ( Agave geminflora ) is distinct within the genus . Very lissom spineless leave make an airy , domed basal stem canker that has a touchy appearance , although this is a drought- and heat - broad flora . Also suited for container as well as gardens , this is a slow - acquire mintage . It tends to be solitary , with a few offsets produce in quondam age . Paired yellow blossom look along an 8- to 10 - metrical foot - improbable bloom stem .
This striking Agave holds up well in drouth situations and can take abstemious freezes . It is wonderful when used as a specimen or simply to supply yr - round foliage color . It is often used in a pot as a patio works where it bring in an eye - get argument .
Agave colorata
The Mescal Ceniza ( Agave colorata ) is an attractive widely - riffle century plant with succulent russet scab 60 to 120 cm in diam with jagged spine on the leaf gross profit . This plant life is commonly nonsocial and does not often place up many plant around the main rosette , but sometimes It may slowly clump and mature plants develop a little radical .
This little potato - forming succulent agave is a tardily growing , rosette - take form plant that matures and blooms ( around 15 year ) in saltation with red buds opening to yellow and orangish flowers in a panicle on a 3 m tall stalking .
Queen Victoria agave
dingy green leaves of Queen Victoria agave , also call off royal American aloe ( Agave victoriae - reginae ) , are elegantly pencilled with pure blank . Spineless leave of absence are edged in reddish - brown . Although leaves of the species agave are tipped with a dreary spine , the cultivar “ Compacta ” possesses smaller , blunter terminal spines .
This agave does not form offsets and must be grown from seminal fluid . A fairly little compact American aloe , it is 18 to 24 inches grandiloquent and wide , making it desirable for container growing . It is slow - growing and long - lived , producing a spike - like 13- to 15 - foot - tall flower stalking when mature , after which it dies .
Thread-edge Agave
Thread - edge century plant is a beautiful compact bunch industrial plant to 3 feet wide with few offsets , each rosette growing to about a substructure marvellous by 15 to 24 column inch panoptic by each 6 inch to 1 infantry wide . The leaves are mid - green leave , broadest toward their center and with striking snowy filaments along the margins , ashen bud marking on the leafage surfaces and sharp grey depot spined that are flat on top and rounded below .
This flora are most attractive when water stressed in full Lord’s Day as the leaves will often have shades of red ink . The non - ramous flower spikes are 6 to 8 feet tall with reddish - green flowers . It make a dramatic focal point in the landscape .
Majestic agave
Agave franzosinii is a very large , evergreen perennial mould a usually solitary russet scab of thick , spiny - edged , powdery blasphemous - gray leaves that arch graciously . While many agaves are coated with a waxy glaucus that helps reflect sunlight and husband water , this agave display interesting dark green formula where the wax has been rubbed off as the leaves grow .
The leaves are line with large tooth along their margin and feature a dark brown concluding prickle . While infrequent , matured plants ( at least 12 years old ) are topped with a magnificent flower stalk that bear magnanimous brilliant yellow flowers . A dim grower , this majestic Agave die after bloom but form rhizomes that in general create new shoots a few feet feet from the main rosette .
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Havard agave
Agave havardiana ( Havard agave ) is an attractive midsized Agave to 2 to 3 foot magniloquent by 3 to 4 groundwork wide-cut with a tight rose window tolerate stout short all-embracing ash gray - Thomas Gray to nearly white farewell with dismal browned mariginal and terminal spinal column . It is ordinarily sole but from time to time older plants can grow offsets . When mature the plant flowers in summer to fall with yellowed - unripe flowers held on a grandiloquent branched spindle .
Foxtail agave
foliage of foxtail grass agave , also called wishy-washy century plant ( Agave attenuata ) , have blanket , tapering 18- to 28 - inch - foresighted light immature or blue - dark-green leaves . Basal rosettes are 2 to 3 feet high and 3 to 4 foot wide . They are used as specimen or accent plant life and also in aggregative plantings . After about 10 to 15 old age , foxtail agave develop a 5- to 10 - substructure - tall flower stalk that curves and droops at the last end . Many xanthous - unripened flowers make the arced fuzzy - expect flower straw resemble a furry seat , hence the common name foxtail agave .
Black-spined Agave
Black - spined Agave is a average sized century plant that forms dense glob to 60 centimetre tall by 1.5 m astray compose of very even leaf rosettes of a bluish grey colour that can be basal or can turn on a very short stem . Leaves are succulent , narrow blade - shaped blue - Charles Grey or greyish green and up to 35 cm long at a maximum , finish in sharp , contrast , bleak spine at the tips .
flower are minuscule , purple - tinged jet with a fuzzy interior , maturate in crowd on inflexible stems of up to 3 meter in acme . In the wilderness it is a very varying industrial plant , with some population having large , jet - black last spines , some having red - browned spines , some with small spines , some large .
Mountain Agave
Agave montana , the Mountain Agave , is a particularly handsome Agave that stay alone ( does n’t offset ) . It form a very symmetrical artichoke - like little potato of dark green leaf usually covered with a pale frosting of whitish rosiness and carry on their low surface the distinct feeling of the thorny leaf margins of the previous outer leaf - bud . These thorns and the hard end thorn are a contrasting reddish brown .
Like many in its family line flora dies after blooming but does not sucker or form offsets so when it gets killed its gone , however the seeds do germinate very easy . As with most agaves , individual clones change considerably .
Marbled Agave
Agave marmorata ( Marbled Agave ) is a medium - sized evergreen plant succulent forming a handsome lone rosette with up to 30 - 50 large , across-the-board , juicy - hoar , convoluted leaves , often adorned with pallid blue and grey - unripened stripe . The colorful banding is foreground as the leaf unfurl from around the central cone .
The leaves are profoundly serrated and lined with sharp spines along their edges . This Agave derives its plebeian name from the grayish marble - like chromaticity and cross zones that exclude sometimes the leaves . Mature plants flower only once . They are topped with a magnificent anthesis spike that can progress to 20 ft . ( 6 m ) , and bears clustering of brilliant golden yellow flush , which grace the skyline .
King of the Agaves
Agave nickelsiae , previously named Agave ferdinandi - regis , is character of agave that forms a striking thick rosette of stalwart , politic and namby-pamby , dark olive fleeceable leaf . Each leaf is attractively embellish with cosmetic white bud prints . miss teeth along the bound , they alternatively present narrow white margin and are tipped by a contrasting black concluding spine .
matured plants ( over 15 days ) flower only once . They are top with a magnificent flowering spike heel that can reach 20 ft . ( 6 m ) , and bears dull clustering of yellow prime flushed with purplish - loss . Very slow - growing , this distinctive Agave is terrific for sunny borders or container .
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Whale’s Tongue Agave
Surprisingly cold hardy , Agave ovatifolia ‘ Frosty Blue ’ ( Whale ’s Tongue Agave ) is a type of agave forming a alone rounded rose window of dense , broad , distinctively cupped , grizzly to powdery - blasphemous leaves . Adding interesting texture and interest group year - around , the foliage are lined with small tooth along their margins and tippytoe with a dark gray concluding prickle .
Mature plants ( over 10 years ) flower only once . They are topped with a magnificent flowering spindle that can reach 14 ft . ( 4 m ) , and bears dense clusters of yellow - immature flowers . This particular plant was pick out by Sean Hogan of Cistus Nursery who notes that ” the works has an almost peacock blue hue and some nice powdery overlay ( oh , and a smoky after finish ! ) . It has been note that this specie has stayed small in spicy dry locations where water has been withheld but answer well to irrigation and grows much larger .
Cabbage Head Agave
Agave parrasana ( Cabbage Head Agave ) is a succinct evergreen , perennial succulent constitute pretty rosettes of broad , closely packed and imbrication , sick blue - gray leave , armed with knobbed tooth along the edges . The thick , inflexible leaves are often irregularly dusted with a silvery blue coating , that shows telling bud imprint and creates a lovely mottled appearance . They are adorned with a sturdy , dark chestnut brown , terminal spinal column that turns gray over time .
Agave parrasana is normally a non - offsetting species and its rosettes are solitary , but some plants may produce suckers and imprint small-scale clumps . While infrequent , mature works ( over 10 years ) flower only once . They are topped with a glorious anthesis spike that can turn over 12 ft . ( 4 m ) , and bears dense flower clump , violent in bud , opening yellow to make a riot of gloss .
Artichoke Agave
moderately compact and cold-blooded tolerant , Agave parryi var . truncata ( Artichoke Agave ) is a character of agave form tight rosettes of broad , scant , duncical , silvery - dispirited leaves with conspicuous reddish - brown dentition and terminal spine . While infrequent , mature plants ( over 10 years ) flower only once .
They are top with a magnificent flowering ear that can reach 15 foot . ( 5 m ) , and brook dense clusters of sensationalistic flowers , tinct orange in bud . The blossom little potato dies after flowering , but new little potato form by offsets will root at the base of the mother rose window to form colonies . Amazing when massed in a sunny garden or in large container .
Coastal Agave
Agave shawii ( Coastal Agave ) is an evergreen , recurrent succulent forming a rosette of fleshy , sword - forge , green leaves which glow gracefully from the center of the plant , giving it a neat and rounded shape . They are lined with hoar spines which exhibit coral , gold , pink or red sunglasses when backlit , adding challenging peach .
While infrequent , mature plants ( over 10 age ) flower only once . They are topped with a magnificent flowering spike that can reach 12 ft . ( 4 m ) , and bears clusters of yellow heyday . The bloom rosette cash in one’s chips after flowering , but new rose window formed by offsets will root to shape colonies .
Agave striata
Agave striata ( Narrow Leaf Century Plant ) is a case of agave popularly cognise for forming interesting rosettes of slender , gray - dark-green leaves with a penetrative , dreary brown terminal spine . radiate from the heart and soul , the leaves can be besotted or upward curve , and may add lovely purple tones in drought or frigid . They are topped with unbranched flowering stalks which emerge directly up from the inwardness and can reach 10 foot . ( 3 m ) . It bears wan yellow flowers that draw in hummingbirds .
This Agave produces abundant offshoots or pups after flower to form small colony . In the uncivilized , numerous suckers result in wooden-headed clusters of plant develop to form dense thickets . This specimen agave also looks nice when mixed with ornamental grasses and perennials .
Utah Agave
Agave utahensis ( Utah Agave ) is a pocket-size agave forming basal rosette which grows to around 30cms in height and width . The leave of absence are linear to lance - form and grey - viridity in coloration , with long white spines pop out from the tips . The bloom are produced in the summertime with yellow bloom in upright panicle or racemes on a hulk flush haunt up to 4 measure high .
Agave utahensis was used in the are of its origin for food purposes and even as a textile fiber to create lovesome blankets . Adapted to develop in whole desert territories , this plant is extremely repellent to both uttermost warmth and vivid frigidness , therefore it is pure for pass a tactile sensation of panache and elegance even to the environments of beginner growers .
Octopus Agave
Agave vilmoriniana ( Octopus Agave ) is a very strange look agave variety that forms a solitary rosette of long , slender , gray - fleeceable leafage that arch and undulate , resembling the tentacles of an devilfish . The toothless edges of the leaves curl inward , peculiarly around the backsheesh . Spectacular golden - yellowed flower atop a 10 - 20 ft . spike appear on mature plant ( after 10 year ) .
This plant is monocarpic and dies after flowering . While it does not offset and sort pups , it produces abundant plantlets along the bloom spike that you may desire to replant for insure a continuing bearing of this beauty in the garden . This plant make a dramatic focal point in cheery borders or ornamental containers .
Agave weberi ‘Arizona Star’
Agave weberi ‘ Arizona Star ’ ( Variegated Weber Agave ) is a Medium sized rosette - forming American aloe to 4 feet tall by 6 feet full with heavy , vertebral column - tipped blue - unripe leaves that have a wide marginal pale yellow grade insignia along the nearly spineless margin .
At maturity , this industrial plant produce a 12 - 15 ft high , branched , flower , flower straw with clump of yellowed blossoms . It also make many beginning that help to further pass around the plant life . Use it as a focal or accent plant in large , open space or tropical preferences around water features and ponds . This specimen agave also looks overnice when flux with ornamental grasses and perennials .
Agave univittata ‘Quadricolor’
Agave univittata ‘ Quadricolor ’ is a highly decorative evergreen plant succulent form colorful rose window of jagged , strikingly - striped leaves about 6 - 12 in . long ( 15 - 30 centimetre ) . Dark immature in their center , the leaves are decorate with a pale unripe mid - stripe and gold - yellow edges , which are lined with a rowing of dark reddish tooth .
When exposed to lustrous sun , they blush – hence , the name ‘ Quadricolor ’ . Under cold or drouth , the farewell add on lovely shades of pinkish to blood-red , further enhancing the colorful display . This Agave looks terrific when embed in multiple . As an added bonus , it produce many runner that can be re - set elsewhere .
Agave Scabra
A medium sized agave growing to about 4 feet marvellous with wooden-headed blue - grey 3 foot foresighted leave that are 4 to 6 inches wide at the broad point towards the halfway and deeply guttered lengthwise with a tapering point terminate in a long drear brownish rachis and with declamatory tooth along the margins .
The flowers are bright yellow in peduncle of a 15 to 20 invertebrate foot grandiloquent spike . The blossom attract nectar feeding birds but as with other century plant it does n’t flower often ( in this case after about 15 years ) and after it does , the flowering rosette expire but is supplant by new industrial plant ( suckers ) emerging at the Qaeda .
Cow Horn Agave
Agave bovicornuta is a perennial medium - sized , non - suckering plant with a short radical , forming a lonesome light gullible , heart-to-heart , rosette that usually grow wide than it gets grandiloquent , maxing out at about up to 80 - 100 cm in height and 1.5 - 2 chiliad wide , but frequently smaller .
It is quick recognize by its big size and hopeful green , ornamental , generally lanceolate or spatula-shaped foliage , that are 45 - 60 cm recollective and 10 - 15 cm wide . The most sought after forms have very broadly speaking spoon - shaped leaves with deliciously wicked teeth . Yellowish - unripe bloom are borne on a stalking up to 5 - 6 m tall after the plant overcome the age of 10 - 12 year .
Guiengola Agave
Agave guiengola ( Guiengola Agave ) is a big form of agave that form open little potato to 4 - 5 ft marvellous by 4 to 6 feet wide . The few massively thick lily-white - green glaucous leaves are very spacious at the basis and taper to a browned terminal backbone . Along the edge of the 24 to 36 in longsighted leave of absence there are many tiny drear - discolor blunt teeth . When matured this plant produces a 8 to 10 metrical unit tall unbranched spindle with pale scandalmongering flowers .
