Amazing Agave attenuata
Amazing Agave attenuate – Fox Tail Agave
Thanks San Marcos Growers (www.smgrowers.com) for this and other pictures on this page!
Agave attenuata are prized evergreen succulents appreciated for their graceful, broad, soft, spineless leaves. They make a striking statement in either the ground or in containers. Their colors range from pale green, yellow-green, and blue-gray with several variegated varieties as well. To get the best color in the leaves, plant them in bright sunny locations; they may need some protection in extreme heat conditions. They are commonly known as fox tail agaves and are native to Mexico.
Best in full sun to partial shade here around the bay; plant in part shade inland or where temperatures reach the mid 90’s or above. Agave are very drought tolerant. They prefer well drained soil and are best with some water in summer. They are frost sensitive.
The rosettes of foliage are borne on a central trunk and form pups at the base as they mature. Remove these pups or side shoots to control the size of the plant to fit the space you have in the garden. If allowed to grow, the pups will form a much larger multi-headed, rounded plant. Older plants can develop a trunk up to 5’.
Mature plants send up a spectacular flowering stalk up to 10 feet tall that bends back towards the ground before arching up again. If the plant shows signs of blooming, allow pups to develop to extend the life of the plant as the blooming rosette dies after blooming. Once the flowers are done, both seedpods and plantlets (baby plants) will form along the flower stalk.
Deer tend to leave these agaves alone but watch out for snails.
‘Boutin Blue’:
4-5’ x 8-10 Thick fleshy wide flexible blue gray leaves.
‘Ray of Light’:
2-3’ x 4-5’ wide, flexible pale arching grayish green leaves with bright narrow white leaf margin.
‘Rae’s Gold’:
3-4’ with larger spread, wide soft butter yellow leaves in a rosette arching back to the ground. It becomes green in the shade. This cultivar was also developed by local horticulturist Gary Gragg in 2007.
‘Kara’s Stripe’:
2-4’ x 3-4’ Thick, fleshy, variegated creamy yellow foliage with narrow blueish green marginal stripe creating clumps of rosettes. It is a slower growing cultivar. Discovered by local horticulturist Gary Gragg in 1994 and was introduced commercially in 2008.
Thanks again San Marcos Growers (www.smgrowers.com) for the pictures.