Why develop agave? Efficiently, these low-maintenance crops can add magnificence with their engaging foliage in each your indoor houseplant assortment and your outdoors landscaping. Plus, most varieties will flower a minimum of as rapidly 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 present any consideration to your rising zone or native local weather on account of indoors, it is potential you will create the most effective situations. Indoors, they like a shiny, sunny window and should dry out fully between waterings.
For rising agave open air, mature dimension wouldn’t matter as somewhat loads. Because you don’t should embody the crops in a pot, it is potential you will select varieties with numerous mature sizes. Some can attain as loads as 10 toes tall and broad when grown open air. For out of doors crops, you’ll want to consider your USDA rising zone and whether or not or not or not or not it may get too chilly for these outdoors crops to outlive.
Indoor Varieties
As talked about above, agave varieties that do correctly indoors embody small and compact varieties. These varieties can also be pint-sized, however they aren’t quick on magnificence. Every selection has its non-public distinctive foliage, they usually additionally’re absolutely fitted to life on a windowsill.
Agaves don’t require somewhat loads by way of care for a houseplant. Watering them too usually or fertilizing them may set off them to die. For a lot of who usually end up forgetting to water your houseplants, then agave might be the plant for you!
When rising indoors, it is good to decide on a container with a drainage gap, however ditch the saucer as you don’t should create any standing water. Overly moist soil will most likely be detrimental. And whereas these varieties are good for indoors, it is potential you will 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 engaging darkish blue-green leaves with yellow and purple margins. These margins seemingly glow when backlit by the photograph voltaic, thus the title ‘Blue Glow’.
Full photograph voltaic is most attention-grabbing for this selection, however it will furthermore care for 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. Attributable to this truth the frequent title, artichoke agave. This selection is native to Central Mexico, which makes it terribly drought-tolerant and low-maintenance.
It does most attention-grabbing in full photograph voltaic, which can most likely be outfitted indoors by utilizing mirrored daylight as correctly. Chances are high you will create mirrored gentle by utilizing 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 apart from fully completely 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 photograph voltaic, which, as talked about above, will most likely be outfitted indoors by utilizing 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 selection is native to central Mexico.
It requires full photograph 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 inserting resemblance to ‘Queen Victoria’ Agave. Masses in order that it was as rapidly as thought that it was a naturally occurring hybrid of Agave victoriae-reginae, however it definitely has since been acknowledged as its present selection.
Furthermore it is acknowledged often as King of The Agaves. This selection has darkish inexperienced leaves, white margins, and sharp terminal suggestions. It grows in an open rosette, which seems to be fairly in a container. It requires full photograph voltaic and wishes 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. You could even see this selection at desert botanical gardens. It is among the many many most beautiful agaves.
It has darkish inexperienced leaves and vibrant white markings. Similar to the above-mentioned ‘King Ferdinand’, however with much more distinction. It requires full photograph voltaic, ideally a really sunny window when grown indoors. Its mature dimension is lower than one foot tall and one to 2 toes broad.
Exterior Varieties
When choosing an agave option to develop open air, you’ll want to consider your USDA rising zone. Correct proper right here, we’ll embody that knowledge with every selection so as you can resolve if it may develop open air in your home. The rising zone signifies the frequent low temperature in your home. 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 trigger, 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 may set off injury and plant lack of life.
Golden Flowered Century Plant
Agave chrysantha can be referred to as the golden flowered century plant. This evergreen agave selection types an ideal rosette made up of grey-green leaves. The sword-shaped leaves develop in a mound, giving it a lovely spherical contour. The leaves are lined with spines alongside the perimeters and have a pointy terminal backbone.
It requires full photograph 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 can be referred to as ‘Harvard’ agave. It has fairly silver-gray foliage with fleshy and broad, cupped leaves. The leaves are intently lined with darkish brown enamel and topped with a really sharp black terminal backbone.
This selection is terribly chilly hardy and can most likely be floor open air in USDA rising zones 5-10. It’d presumably face up to temperatures as little as -20 ranges Fahrenheit (-29 ranges Celsius)! Though it will care for the chilly, it requires a full-sun location, notably all through the winter months. Shield that in concepts when deciding in your planting internet web page, because of the photograph voltaic shall be decrease all through the sky in 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 completely different selection that resembles an infinite artichoke. It has fleshy, broad, upright, apple-green leaves with huge cinnamon-red enamel alongside the margins and a fast terminal backbone. This solitary agave wouldn’t produce offshoots or pups as many different agaves do.
Mountain agave will most likely be grown in USDA rising zones 7-10 and face up to temperatures as little as 10 ranges Fahrenheit (-12 ranges Celsius). It’d presumably survive in full photograph 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 can be referred to as the narrow-leaf century plant. And for good operate! This selection has extended, slender foliage that’s gray-green with a brown terminal backbone. The leaves will most likely be upright or curve upwards barely.
The foliage also can present slight purple tones all via chilly native climate. This selection produces plentiful pups and offshoots, so that you just’ll have the flexibleness to propagate many crops in case you occur to fall in love with it in your panorama.
This selection will most likely 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 photograph voltaic location to confirm 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 often referred to as whale’s tongue agave. The leaves are broad, cup-shaped, and fluctuate in coloration from grey to powdery blue, similar to a whale’s tongue! The leaves are lined with enamel alongside the margins and a tall terminal backbone.
Whale tongue agave will most likely 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 photograph 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 will most likely 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 photograph 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 loads as 20 toes tall!
Queen Victoria Century Plant
Agave victoriae-reginae, moreover referred to as the ‘Queen Victoria’ century plant, is a show-stopper of agave in your outdoors landscaping. We talked about its compact selection above as a terrific indoor yard addition, and the full-grown selection is simply as engaging. It has the an equivalent darkish inexperienced leaves with vibrant white markings. Furthermore it is a winner of the Award of Yard Revenue.
This selection will most likely 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 photograph voltaic to supply among the many finest and most beautiful leaves. Its mature dimension is one foot tall and one to 2 toes broad.
Closing Ideas
Rising agaves each indoors and out can add a terrific low-maintenance issue to every your houseplant assortment or your outdoors landscaping. Whereas agaves are principally equated with scorching and dry climates, there are a number of varieties that can survive cooler temperatures. For individuals who’re in North America, search for varieties native to your home, as these will do most attention-grabbing in your native local weather.