Agave Obscura

Names & common name

Agave obscura

What you will get

A well rooted plant in a 2ltr pot.

About

Striking succulent with broad spikey leaves that form a tight rosette. The leaves are bright green with a distinct thin light green stripe running down the middle. The margins are white with red teeth and a weak terminal spine the rosettes can reach 50cm wide.

Family

Agavaceae

Origin.

North, Central, and South America and the Caribbean Islands.

Care & planting

The most important thing when growing Agaves in the UK is to keep them dry in winter. If you are growing them in pots this is easy. Move them into a green house or shed ect with good light and do not water them from October till it warms up in the spring. Make sure if you are growing Agaves in pots that you use a good soil based compost and add a third grit for drainage. If you are wanting to plant your Agave in the garden you have a couple of options, you can plant the agave still in its pot and the gravel over this allows you to lift the plant and pot in the winter. If you want to permanently plant your Agave in the ground drainage is key - a slope or raised bed is perfect for this. Make sure to add plenty of gravel to the soil before planting, you can dig a hole and fill it with gravel and plant the Agave in the gravel. I always like to top dress my Agaves with gravel too, it keeps the leaves off the soil and makes them look at their best. This works if they are in pots or the ground. Most Agaves are amazingly tough plants and they can take cold temperatures, but they must be dry.

Uses

Great as a pot plant or in the ground in milder areas of the UK they give a very architectural feel to the exotic garden.