Agave desmettiana variegata

• Names and Synonyms:  
  Agave desmetiana, Agave miradorensis, Agave regeliana, Agave ananassoides
• Common Names:  
  Smooth Agave, Variegated Dwarf Agave
• Family:  
  Agavaceae
• Origin:  
  Native to Mexico but has been in cultivation for centuries.
• Height:  
  2-3'
• Width:  
  3-4'
• Cold Tolerance:  
  25 to 30°F; -3.9 to -1.1°C
• Heat Tolerance:  
  Very high heat tolerance
• Light Requirement:  
  Full sun to partial shade inland
• Water needs:  
  Young plants need irrigation in hot climates.
• Maintenance:  
  Remove offsets as needed if a single rosette is preferred.
• Uses:  
  This small agave is nice for residential landscapes. It has fewer spines and softer leaves than most agaves. It is very nice in cactus and succulent gardens, containers and for xeriscape plantings and borders. A. desmettiana is resistant to deer and rabbits, but young leaves can be damaged by snails.
• Propagation:  
  Remove and replant offsets. The flower spike provides both pups and seeds as well.
• Problems:  
  Root rot in overly wet, poor drained soils.
• Special notes:  
  This agave's foliage is evergreen, with yellowish to medium green or greyish to bluish-green leaves that have a yellow border on the margins. The leaves are fleshy, thick and smooth, with very tiny marginal thorns and brownish apical spines. Growing in an upright manner, the symmetrical rosette has recurved leaves that create an elegant urn-like or architectural form that’s most appealing. At about 8-10 years of age, this monocarpic agave will produce a thick green flowering stalk, which emerges from the center of the plant and grows 8-10 feet in height, bearing panicles of bright yellow blooms. The flower spike lasts for several weeks to months, with the flowers at the base opening first.
• Research Links:
  
  http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/60592/
• http://www.smgrowers.com/products/plants/plantdisplay.asp?plant_id=2273
• http://www.jaycjayc.com/agave-desmettiana-dwarfcenturyplant/

Additional information