Agave titanota 'Black and Blue'

'Black and Blue' was selected by plantsman Kelly Griffin from seed collected near Tepitizonga in Oaxaca, Mexico. According to a US grower it was introduced by Rancho Soledad Nursery and propagated mainly by tissue culture. It is a tight plant with thick, pale bluish-grey leaves and nearly black teeth; single rosettes reach about 30 cm across, and older plants offset into a dense clump. A specialist-written Japanese succulent encyclopedia gives a rosette diameter of 30-50 cm and notes that the leaves tend to lengthen once the plant passes 30 cm; balancing airflow, water and light is key to keeping it compact. It is usually listed under A. titanota, but whether it is a cultivar or a hybrid of that species is unresolved. A Japanese succulent encyclopedia describes it as a dark-toothed pick from a bluish titanota line. It differs from white-toothed Hakugei and Caesar in tooth colour, and from long-spined 'Hades' in its bluer leaves and smaller size. Known in Japan as 'B&B', it is widely available from specialist nurseries and online shops.

The Agave titanota 'Black and Blue' grows to Single rosettes about 30 cm across; 30-50 cm when fully grown.

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