Breaking down some of the best succulent plant choices to use in your garden or in a container, Agaves make the list.
In fact, they are so fantastic, adding drama and sculptural interest that they jump to the must have part of the list. As mentioned in an earlier blog post as to why you should include Agaves in your garden, here are four important points to know about Agave plants.
SO WHAT ARE THEY??
1. Solitary Versus Offsetting Types – Most Agaves produce ‘pups’ or babies. These types are known to be offsetting. This is good if you want to have a mass grouping or collection. Solitary types don’t typically produce pups and are more of the SOLO act. This is great for small gardens or spaces where you want these guys to be fully admired for their unique bold form. They can also be lower maintenance and easier to care for over time.
2. Soft Versed Thorny Leaves – If you are looking for plants that deter unwanted visitors animals and/or people – you can always consider plants that have protective spines and thorns. Most, agaves (no, not all) have some sort of armor like perhaps spines on their leaf tips, thorns and/or teeth. Whatever the case, these can definitely make you pause when having to handle them, especially large ones. Because they can be painful, and less than friendly in some situations, these are not good plant choices for kid friendly gardens or community oriented spaces where people come into close contact with the plants. Instead, keep your eye out for soft leaved Agaves. These, like Agave attenuata, do have leaves that taper to a point, but the point isn’t sharp, but soft and flexible. Soft leaf Agaves are an excellent choice when plants with spines and thorns are off the list.
3. Flowers – – The flowers on an Agave are very cool sights. In general, they look a lot like a gigantic asparagus. But remember, this flower spike signifies the end of the plant’s life. If you are interested in growing strong architectural bold foliage like this and getting vibrant flowers each year, go for one of the many Aloes!
4. You Can Grow them from Seed or Bare Root Offsets – Important to know when you want to grow them or increase your collection.
Happy Gardening!
ps: Are you starting to get a better idea about how you can go ahead and use succulent plants like Agaves in your outdoor living space? Take a look at this previous post to get an overview of some of the ornamental Agaves in varying shapes and sizes for planting design. If you want to keep up with our latest info on a topic like succulents, be sure to sign up below for our FREE Blog updates. No spam ever and lots of fun!