Agave victoriae-reginae

Name

Agave victoriae-reginae

What you will get

These are small plants in 2ltr pots.

About

Agave victoria-reginae is immediately recognizable by its extremely dense rosette of leaves that are dark green with white markings. The leaves have thick, smooth, white margins and end in a dark, sharp terminal spine. This is an extremely beautiful must-have Agave which looks its best grown in a bowl. It is a surprisingly hardy Agave, and will take at least -12 if kept dry.

Family

Agavaceae

Origin.

Mexico

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. Firstly you can plant the agave (still in its pot) into the ground. The gravel on the top of the pot allows you to lift the plant in its pot in 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. It is also recommended to top dress Agaves with gravel too, it keeps the leaves off the soil and makes them look their best. This works if they are in pots or in 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 an exotic garden.