Agave guiengola
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Agave guiengola has a few very thick, silver-blue glaucous leaves, broad at the base, then tapering down to a brown terminal spine. It’s uniquely shaped, bluish leaves become quite large and lay more horizontally than most Agaves leading to an exotic form that looks something like a giant silvery green starfish. It is a very architectural plant in form and is fairly fast growing for an agave. Light shade is o.k. in hot inland climates. The flower spike is 5-7′ tall with yellow flowers. This plant is monocarpic and will flower and die within 10-15 years. Agave guiengola is deer and rodent resistant. It will often offset to form mounding colonies so remove pups if you want to keep plants in solitary form. There are several cultivars including: Agave guiengola ‘Moto Sierra’ with chainsaw like brown teeth on the leaf margins and Agave guiengola ‘Creme Brulee’ with variegated white leaf margins.
Beautiful in large containers or as a specimen plant in the landscape. Leaf color is a striking contrast to dark or bright green foliage. Leaves have soft spines at their terminals and sometimes on their margins. Due to lower light requirements this agave can be grown in part sun or bright shade more easily than many of the genus.
Agave guiengola gets to about 4 feet in diameter and has very thick, light blue leaves. Guiengola has an interesting open rossete of about 7 leaves. It likes to grow under oaks and leaf debris seems to be able to wash away easier than a more compact rossete. Although guiengola looks very fierce this is only bluster as the leaf tips are very brittle and simply break off if brushed against.
Horticultural Data
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Common Names: Silvery Agave, Whale’s Tail Agave
Family: Agavaceae
Origin: Mexico; endemic on limestone cliffs in Oaxaca from which it gets its species name.
Size Label: 1 Gallon
Mature Size: individual rosette
Height: 3-4′
Width: 4-6′
USDA Zones: Zone 9a, Zone 9b, Zone 10a, Zone 10b, Zone 11a
Cold Tolerance: 20 to 25°F, -6.7 to -3.9°C
Heat Tolerance: Very high heat tolerance
Light Requirement: Part to full sun
Water needs: Very drought tolerant, occasional irrigation
Maintenance: Remove/replant offshots and remove dead leaves as desired.
Uses: Beautiful in large containers or as a specimen plant in the landscape. Leaf color is a striking contrast to dark or bright green foliage. Leaves have soft spines at their terminals and sometimes on their margins. Due to lower light requirements this agave can be grown in part sun or bright shade more easily than many of the genus.
Propagation: Replant offshoots or collect seeds after flowering.
Special notes: Agave guiengola has a few very thick, silver-blue glaucous leaves, broad at the base, then tapering down to a brown terminal spine. It’s uniquely shaped, bluish leaves become quite large and lay more horizontally than most Agaves leading to an exotic form that looks something like a giant silvery green starfish. It is a very architectural plant in form and is fairly fast growing for an agave. Light shade is o.k. in hot inland climates. The flower spike is 5-7′ tall with yellow flowers. This plant is monocarpic and will flower and die within 10-15 years. A. guiengola is deer and rodent resistant. It will often offset to form mounding colonies so remove pups if you want to keep plants in solitary form. There are several cultivars including: Agave guiengola ‘Moto Sierra’ with chainsaw like brown teeth on the leaf margins and Agave guiengola ‘Creme Brulee’ with variegated white leaf margins.
Research Links:
http://www.smgrowers.com/products/plants/plantdisplay.asp?plant_id=1663#
http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/60609/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agave_guiengola
http://www.desert-tropicals.com/Plants/Agavaceae/Agave_guiengola.html
Shipping & Availability
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There is a minimum purchase of any 4 plants for online orders. All plants shipped bare root. Other sizes may be available for pick up from our growing grounds in Fallbrook, CA. For more information, give us a call at 760-990-4762.
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