Striped Century Plant

Striped Century Plant

Agave americana var. striata
Characteristics
Category
Desert Accent Plant
Size
8′ x 8′
Flower Color
Flower Season
Exposure
Full sun or partial shade
Water
Occasional irrigation, especially during the hot, dry season
Growth Rate
Hardiness
20°F
Notes:

Description

This is one of the rarest and most beautiful of all the agaves. It foliage is blue-gray with creamy white markings and multiple, white stripes that run throughout the length of the leaves. The plant grows six to eight feet tall and wide. Like other agaves, it produces offsets, but these lose some variegation as they grow. Also each leaf is slightly different in the amount of variegation. Sometimes the offsets may resemble the Agave americana var. medio-picta. Its flowers are yellowish-green and grow upwards, rising to twenty feet or more. Use this striking variegated plant in large open areas either as an accent or specimen. It can also be used in containers on patios and porches as a focal plant or mixed with other agave species and low-water-use plants. The variegated varieties can be very inconsistent in their color patterns from one generation to the next. The striped century plant is native to central to southern Mexico.

Maintenance

The plant takes full sun or partial shade and tolerates drought, but prefers occasional irrigation, especially during the hot, dry season. It is hardy into the low twenties Fahrenheit and should be planted in well-draining, rocky or sandy soil.

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