Agave Encyclopedia

A hybrid with powdery blue-grey leaves set off by dark to reddish margins and sharp spines. Its parentage has not been published, and some think it may be the same plant as the very similar 'Burnt Burgundy'.

A hybrid with blue-green leaves edged red and then thinly in yellow, which glow when backlit. A cross of Agave attenuata and A. ocahui, it grows slowly as a single rosette.

A cross of A. victoriae-reginae and A. palmeri with blue-green leaves strongly edged deep red. It closely resembles 'Blue Glow' and 'Blue Ember' but tends to have thicker, shorter leaves. Variegated forms also circulate.

A long-established Japanese-named cultivar with matte blue-grey, sharp leaves and striking red or orange teeth. Types with glossy red teeth or teeth fused into bands exist, and it offsets freely.

A large hybrid with thick, triangular, dark grey-green leaves of a rough, shark-skin texture, neatly arranged. The margins are smooth and toothless, leaving only a stout tip spine. Thought to be a natural hybrid found in Mexico.

A cross of Agave ovatifolia and A. victoriae-reginae. Thick, ovate leaves carry crisp white bud imprints that differ on every plant, and it inherits cold tolerance from ovatifolia.

Widely distributed from Mexico to Central America. Narrow leaves with many variegated cultivars available. Believed to be ancestral to Agave tequilana. Hardy and fast-growing.

A small variegated agave whose blue leaves are each framed by a wide cream border. It stays about 25 cm tall and in Japan it is sometimes sold as the same plant as the long-established 'Meriko Nishiki'.

A relatively compact agave with soft leaves. Thin blue-green leaves create elegant atmosphere.

An agave from Chiapas, Mexico. Native to tropical to subtropical highlands, more adapted to humid conditions than most agaves. Broad, thick leaves. Prefers relatively warm environments.

Native to Arizona. Named 'golden flower' for its yellow blooms. Bright green leaves with small teeth. Cold-hardy and easy to grow.

Variegated mutation of Colorata. Blue-white leaves with yellow variegation create stunning contrast. Slightly less cold-hardy than normal form. Highly prized by collectors.

Native to Guerrero, Mexico. Used in mezcal production. Wide leaves with copper-colored teeth give a wild appearance. Grows large at maturity.

An elegant mid-sized agave whose leaves rise and then arc outward, striped grey-green and cream in the centre with a dark green margin on the lower half and sparse small reddish-brown teeth.