Why develop agave? Efficiently, these low-maintenance crops can add magnificence with their stunning foliage in each your indoor houseplant assortment and your exterior landscaping. Plus, most varieties will flower at the least as shortly as of their lifetime. Rising each indoors and open air has its execs and cons.
For rising indoors, you’ll wish to choose small, compact varieties that do correctly in containers. You obtained’t want to provide any consideration to your rising zone or native local weather due to indoors, you might create the acceptable situations. Indoors, they like a shiny, sunny window and must dry out utterly between waterings.
For rising agave open air, mature dimension doesn’t matter as tons. Because you don’t should embrace the crops in a pot, you might select varieties with numerous mature sizes. Some can attain as lots as 10 toes tall and broad when grown open air. For outdoor crops, you’ll must consider your USDA rising zone and whether or not or not or not or not it may get too chilly for these exterior crops to outlive.
Indoor Varieties
As talked about above, agave varieties that do correctly indoors embody small and compact varieties. These varieties could also be pint-sized, however they aren’t quick on magnificence. Every alternative has its non-public distinctive foliage, they usually additionally’re totally fitted to life on a windowsill.
Agaves don’t require tons by the use of maintain a houseplant. Watering them too usually or fertilizing them could set off them to die. For people who usually end up forgetting to water your houseplants, then agave is possibly the plant for you!
When rising indoors, it’s best to select a container with a drainage gap, however ditch the saucer as you don’t should create any standing water. Overly moist soil shall be detrimental. And whereas these varieties are good for indoors, you might develop most of them open air, too!
Blue Glow
‘Blue Glow’ Agave is a comparatively new cultivar, which is a hybrid of Agave attenuata and Agave ocahui. And whereas it doesn’t resemble its father or mother crops, it does showcase stunning darkish blue-green leaves with yellow and purple margins. These margins seemingly glow when backlit by the picture voltaic, thus the title ‘Blue Glow’.
Full picture voltaic is most attention-grabbing for this alternative, however it could furthermore address dappled daylight. Its mature dimension is 2 to some toes tall and broad, which makes it good for rising in containers indoors.
Artichoke
Agave parryi var. Truncata has broad, blue leaves with maroon spines that resemble an artichoke. Subsequently the frequent title, artichoke agave. This alternative is native to Central Mexico, which makes it terribly drought-tolerant and low-maintenance.
It does most attention-grabbing in full picture voltaic, which shall be geared up indoors through the use of mirrored daylight as correctly. You can create mirrored gentle through the use of foil, strategically positioned mirrors, or complement with indoor develop lights. Its mature dimension is two toes tall and three toes broad.
Twin Flowered
Agave geminiflora, or twin-flowered agave, has extended, slender leaves which set it aside from completely totally different agaves. The extended, skinny foliage resembles a pin cushion. Its look can add uniqueness to your indoor succulent assortment.
It does most attention-grabbing in full picture voltaic, which, as talked about above, shall be geared up indoors through the use of mirrored daylight as correctly. Its mature dimension is three toes tall and 4 toes broad.
Agave schidigera
Agave schidigera has curly white fibers on every shiny inexperienced leaf. The white markings on the leaves improve the excellence of the inexperienced foliage. This alternative is native to central Mexico.
It requires full picture voltaic or filtered afternoon shade. Its mature dimension is one foot tall and one to 2 toes broad.
King Ferdinand
Agave Ferdinandi Regis bears a putting resemblance to ‘Queen Victoria’ Agave. Fairly lots in order that it was as shortly as thought that it was a naturally occurring hybrid of Agave victoriae-reginae, however it absolutely completely has since been acknowledged as its present alternative.
Furthermore it is acknowledged usually as King of The Agaves. This alternative has darkish inexperienced leaves, white margins, and sharp terminal options. It grows in an open rosette, which seems to be fairly in a container. It requires full picture voltaic and desires an notably sunny window when grown indoors. Its mature dimension is one to 2 toes tall and broad.
‘Compacta’ Queen Victoria
Agave victoriae-reginae ‘Compacta’ is a compact, container-friendly cultivar of Agave victoriae-reginae. It’s possible you’ll even see this alternative at desert botanical gardens. It is among the many many most lovely agaves.
It has darkish inexperienced leaves and vibrant white markings. Very just like the above-mentioned ‘King Ferdinand’, however with far more distinction. It requires full picture voltaic, ideally a extraordinarily sunny window when grown indoors. Its mature dimension is lower than one foot tall and one to 2 toes broad.
Outside Varieties
When choosing an agave option to develop open air, you’ll must consider your USDA rising zone. Correct proper right here, we’ll embody that data with every alternative so as that you’d resolve if it may develop open air in your space. The rising zone signifies the frequent low temperature in your space. That is important to know for multi-annual crops like agave since they are going to be spending the winter open air.
Agaves are native to the Southern United States, Central Mexico, the Caribbean, and components of South America. For that motive, they develop most attention-grabbing in Southwest and Mediterranean climates, however some are fairly chilly and hardy. To outlive the winter, like most agaves, they’ll want well-drained soil. Standing water in colder months could set off hurt and plant lack of life.
Golden Flowered Century Plant
Agave chrysantha could be often known as the golden flowered century plant. This evergreen agave alternative types an ideal rosette made up of grey-green leaves. The sword-shaped leaves develop in a mound, giving it a satisfying spherical contour. The leaves are lined with spines alongside the edges and have a pointy terminal backbone.
It requires full picture voltaic and well-drained soil. It’s each drought and deer-resistant. Its mature dimension is 2 to some toes tall and 4 to 5 toes broad.
Harvard
Agave havardiana could be often known as ‘Harvard’ agave. It has fairly silver-gray foliage with fleshy and broad, cupped leaves. The leaves are rigorously lined with darkish brown enamel and topped with a extraordinarily sharp black terminal backbone.
This alternative is terribly chilly hardy and shall be flooring open air in USDA rising zones 5-10. It could presumably face up to temperatures as little as -20 ranges Fahrenheit (-29 ranges Celsius)! Though it could address the chilly, it requires a full-sun location, notably all through the winter months. Shield that in concepts when deciding in your planting web site, because of the picture voltaic shall be decrease all through the sky within the midst of the winter. It has a mature dimension of two to some toes tall and three to 4 toes broad.
Mountain Agave
Agave montana, or mountain agave, is one totally different alternative that resembles an infinite artichoke. It has fleshy, broad, upright, apple-green leaves with massive cinnamon-red enamel alongside the margins and a brief terminal backbone. This solitary agave doesn’t produce offshoots or pups as many different agaves do.
Mountain agave shall be grown in USDA rising zones 7-10 and face up to temperatures as little as 10 ranges Fahrenheit (-12 ranges Celsius). It could presumably survive in full picture voltaic to partial shade situations. Its mature dimension is three to 4 toes tall and 4 to 5 toes broad.
Slim Leaf Century Plant
Agave striata could be often known as the narrow-leaf century plant. And for good perform! This alternative has extended, slender foliage that’s gray-green with a brown terminal backbone. The leaves shall be upright or curve upwards barely.
The foliage can even present slight purple tones all by means of chilly native climate. This alternative produces plentiful pups and offshoots, so that you just’ll have the pliability to propagate many crops in case you occur to fall in love with it in your panorama.
This alternative shall be grown in USDA rising zones 7-11 and face up to temperatures as little as 10 ranges Fahrenheit (-12 ranges Celsius). It requires a full picture voltaic location to make sure a healthful and long-lived plant. Its mature dimension is one to 2 toes tall and two to some toes broad.
Whale’s Tongue
Agave ovatifolia could also be usually often known as whale’s tongue agave. The leaves are broad, cup-shaped, and differ in coloration from grey to powdery blue, very similar to a whale’s tongue! The leaves are lined with enamel alongside the margins and a tall terminal backbone.
Whale tongue agave shall be grown in USDA rising zones 7-11 and face up to temperatures as little as 10 ranges Fahrenheit (-21 ranges Celsius). It requires full picture voltaic to thrive. Its mature dimension is three to 4 toes tall and 4 to 6 toes broad.
Cabbage Head
Agave parrasana, or cabbage head agave, resembles a head of cabbage, as its title would counsel. This award-winning agave is slow-growing and varieties a densely packed rosette of overlapping blue-gray leaves. It’s a winner of the Award of Yard Revenue given by the Royal Horticultural Society.
Cabbage head agave shall be grown in USDA rising zones 7-11 and face up to temperatures as little as 10 ranges Fahrenheit (-21 ranges Celsius). It requires full picture voltaic and prefers barely acidic, sandy soil. Its mature dimension is one to 2 toes tall and broad. Nonetheless, this small plant can produce a flower stalk as lots as 20 toes tall!
Queen Victoria Century Plant
Agave victoriae-reginae, moreover often known as the ‘Queen Victoria’ century plant, is a show-stopper of agave in your exterior landscaping. We talked about its compact alternative above as a terrific indoor yard addition, and the full-grown alternative is simply as stunning. It has the an similar darkish inexperienced leaves with vibrant white markings. Furthermore it is a winner of the Award of Yard Revenue.
This alternative shall be grown in USDA rising zones 7-11 and face up to temperatures as little as 10 ranges Fahrenheit (-21 ranges Celsius). It requires full picture voltaic to supply among the many finest and most lovely leaves. Its mature dimension is one foot tall and one to 2 toes broad.
Last Ideas
Rising agaves each indoors and out can add a terrific low-maintenance ingredient to every your houseplant assortment or your exterior landscaping. Whereas agaves are principally equated with scorching and dry climates, there are a couple of varieties that may survive cooler temperatures. In case you are in North America, look for varieties native to your space, as these will do most attention-grabbing in your native local weather.