Agave Varieties

Agave obscura ‘Xalapa’ is a truly majestic agave, characterized by some features, including:

• Size and Growth Habit: This agave forms a dense, symmetrical rosette, reaching a mature height of approximately 60-90 cm (2-3 feet) and a similar width. It typically displays a solitary growth habit, forming a single, impressive plant that is slow growing, making for a beautiful and long impact.
• Leaf Characteristics: The leaves are thick, rigid, fleshy, and somewhat fleshy, exhibiting a lanceolate (spear-like) shape that tapers to a sharp, dark tip. They generally range from a dark, almost blue-green hue, and can display some lighter-green coloration. The margins of the leaves are usually smooth or feature small, reddish-brown teeth. Spines are found at the tip of the leaves, typically small, and dark brown or black in color.
• Flower Characteristics: The Agave obscura ‘Xalapa’ is a monocarpic plant. It flowers only once in its lifetime, typically after many years of growth, sometimes a decade or more. The flower stalk, known as a scape, can ascend to a significant height, bearing a panicle or spike of yellow flowers. After flowering, the plant dies, but it will often produce offsets before its demise.
• Unique Features: One of the most attractive unique selling points of the ‘Xalapa’ variant is its colder temperature tolerance than many other Agave varieties, which makes it an attractive potential plant for areas with colder climates. Its rosette form tends to be denser and more compact than some similar species, giving it a truly unique silhouette.

4. Plant Description and Characteristics

Agave parryi x Agave flexispina showcases the combined traits of its parent species, making it a visually appealing and diverse plant. From a landscape design perspective, it provides a captivating contrast through its leaf colors, spine patterns, and overall form. The hybrid’s variation in leaf color is one of its greatest appeals, ranging from blue-grey to grey, which is more in line with Agave parryi, the margins are often adorned with prominent, dark brown or black spines that are often lighter and softer than those seen with Agave parryi. This combination of color and striking edge definition creates a focal point, contributing to the overall aesthetic appeal.

3. Common Names and Etymology

Agave ocahui var. ocahui doesn’t have an abundance of common names, likely due to its more restricted geographic distribution and less intense cultivation compared to better-known agave species. Common names include:

• Ocahui Agave: This name is derived directly from the scientific name, reflecting its origin.
• Lechuguilla: In some regions of northern Mexico and the southwest United States, this name is sometimes used, although it is more commonly used for other Agave species.

The scientific name, "Agave ocahui var. ocahui," indicates its lineage within the Agave genus and its specific location of origin. "Agave" (from Greek agavos or agaue meaning "noble" or "admirable") and "ocahui" refers to the town of Ocahui, located in the county of Bacoachi along with the Mexican state of Sonora, where the plant was first described. "Ocahui" in the varietal name signifies that it is a variant of the species Agave ocahui.

3. Common Names and Etymology

While often referred to by the scientific binomial Agave ornithobroma, a common name is "Bird-Breathing Agave", this common name stems from the specific epithet "ornithobroma," a combination of Greek words. "Ornitho" likely refers to birds and is very commonly used when referring to birds and their environment. "Broma" likely refers to food or eating and can be found in many plant names. The meaning refers to the possible traditional usage of the plant to birds as a food source, or the potential for birds to somehow utilize the plant (such as in nesting) or for the observation of birds associated with the plant. These elements combine to give an impression of this connection to a bird habitat that would have been used on plants growing on the edges of bird habitat within the agave’s local areas. The common name may likely have arisen as an accurate and observant method of reflecting the plant’s characteristics in particular locations.

4. Plant Description and Characteristics

Agave oroensis reveals elegance in its form.

Agave ortgiesiana is a rosette-forming succulent, typically growing to be about 1-2 feet (30-60 cm) tall and wide at maturity, though in ideal conditions, it can larger. The overall shape is symmetrical, with a dense arrangement of leaves originating from a central crown.

• Leaf Characteristics: The leaves are broad and lanceolate (shaped like a lance head), typically a vibrant green or bluish-green. The most striking feature is the red or crimson margin that extends along the entire edge of each leaf. Leaf edges have no teeth or spines early in its life, but may develop small, irregular teeth as it matures. The leaf shape is generally flat, slightly curved, and somewhat fleshy.

From the dry, mountainous heart of Durango, Mexico, emerges the magnificent Agave oteroi, a living sculpture often admired for its perfect symmetry and compelling textures. While a relative newcomer to widespread cultivation, this agave, with its slow, deliberate growth – often only a few new leaves per year – and compact form, is rapidly gaining a reputation as a highly prized addition to any succulent garden or xeriscape. Its striking pale green to grey-green leaves, often edged with delicate reddish-brown teeth, create a truly unforgettable aesthetic, making this plant both a visual delight and a testament to nature’s artistry.

4. Plant Description and Characteristics

Agave ovatifolia is a large succulent perennial that forms a majestic rosette. Mature plants can reach up to 6 feet (1.8 meters) in height and 8 feet (2.4 meters) in width. The growth habit is slow and steady, with the plant gradually increasing in both size and grandeur over many years if undisturbed. The leaves are a striking blue-grey color, often described as glaucous, offering a hazy, frosted appearance. They are thick, fleshy, and broad, ranging from 2 to 3 feet (0.6 to 0.9 meters) in length and 1 foot (0.3 meters) wide. Their shape is typically broad and ovate (egg-shaped), narrowing slightly towards the base. The margins are smooth, lacking teeth or spines except for a small, sharp terminal spine at the apex of each leaf, which is usually brownish-red. As the plant ages, the leaves gently curve, adding to their graceful form. Following flowering (which occurs only once in its lifetime after several decades), the parent plant dies, but often produces offsets (pups) at the base before its demise. These offsets are essentially clones of the parent plant. The striking color of the leaves, combined with their unique form and the plant’s eventual flowering stature, truly make this agave a standout specimen. The lack of prominent teeth or spines along the margins makes it a relatively forgiving agave to manage in landscaping; its overall form looks striking and contrasts any other landscaping scheme nicely.

4. Plant Description and Characteristics

The Agave montana is a visually striking succulent that forms a relatively symmetrical, often solitary rosette. Its allure stems from its bold presence and noteworthy textural features. The mature leaves are thick, fleshy, and generally broad, with an ovate to lanceloate shape, presenting an attractive, vibrant green or bluish-green hue often accented by reddish or purplish margins. These margins are typically smooth initially, but can become fibrous with age, adding further textural interest. The absence of spines along the margins, beyond the sharp terminal spine, showcases a gentler appearance compared to some of its more heavily armed counterparts. While unique markings do not typically decorate the surface, it can be found to take on hints of the surrounding minerals and substrates where it grows. Its remarkable cold hardiness, paired with its architectural form and lack of marginal spines, distinguishes it from many other agave species, making it both a robust and visually appealing species.

4. Plant Description and Characteristics

Agave moranii presents an elegant form with a moderate growth habit.

• Size and Growth Habit: Mature specimens typically reach a height and width of approximately 0.5 to 1 meter (1.6 to 3.3 feet), forming a symmetrical rosette shape. Growth is generally slow, contributing to its appeal as a long-lived ornamental plant.
• Leaf Characteristics: The leaves are broad, fleshy, and lanceolate, characterized by a striking grey-green coloration. The leaves are rigid and slightly concave towards the center. Leaf margins are finely toothed, with small, sharp, reddish-brown spines. The terminal spine is long and strong. Young plants may feature distinct markings on the leaves.
• Flower Characteristics: Agave moranii is monocarpic, meaning it flowers only once in its lifetime before dying, often taking many years (sometimes decades) to reach flowering maturity. The flower stalk can reach heights of up to 2-3 meters (6.5-10 feet), featuring a branched structure with many yellow blooms. The blooms’ shape are mostly bell-shaped and of a pale yellow coloring. The flowering process is an impressive display, often attracting hummingbirds and other pollinators.
• Unique Features: The profuse production of offsets (pups) at the base of the mother plant is a distinguishing characteristic, leading to the formation of striking clumps. This clonal behavior contributes to their high value as a desirable specimen plant and ease of production.