Agave isthmensis 'Yookihi'

'Yookihi' (named after the Chinese consort Yang Guifei) is a variegated cultivar of Agave isthmensis, a small species from the Isthmus of Tehuantepec in Oaxaca, southern Mexico. According to a Japanese plant guide, its hallmark is variegation radiating in stripes, ranging from plants with many fine lines to marginal, central or almost wholly variegated leaves. The colours vary too, from white and cream to yellow, lime and pale green, sometimes several on a single leaf. Isthmensis usually has short, thick leaves, but Yookihi's are somewhat thinner and slimmer, with modest teeth, giving many plants a sleek look. Within the species, 'Kabutogani' is unvariegated with thick leaves and fused teeth, and 'Ohi Raijin' is a small, short-leaved green plant, so striped variegation is the main clue; because 'Ohi Raijin Nishiki' can also be striped, check leaf slimness when in doubt. Its origin is not documented in available sources. A Japanese plant guide rates it among the rarest isthmensis cultivars, and in Japan it is offered mainly by specialist nurseries.

The Agave isthmensis 'Yookihi' grows to A. isthmensis stays about 20 cm tall even when mature.

The ideal temperature for the Agave isthmensis 'Yookihi' is 15〜30℃.

Light feeder; a little slow-release fertiliser in the growing season is enough