Agave titanota 'Hakugei' (White Whale)

Hakugei ('white whale') is one of the best-known named selections sold as Agave titanota. True A. titanota grows on limestone cliffs in Oaxaca, Mexico, but plants traded as titanota also include what has recently been described as A. oteroi, and the classification is not fully settled. According to a Japanese succulent encyclopedia, there is Hakugei long grown in Japan, distinguished as 'traditional Hakugei', and the clones from Taiwan and China that fuelled the recent agave boom. Grown hard in strong light, both show short, rounded blue-grey leaves, a thin white margin and small, wavy teeth, and among named selections its leaves tend to spread outward somewhat. 'Fukken Hakugei' is a separate line, and seedlings with Hakugei-like traits are also given names ending in Hakugei, so plants sold under the name vary. Buying from a source that can state the plant's origin is the safer choice. It is a staple at many specialist nurseries in Japan.

The Agave titanota 'Hakugei' (White Whale) grows to Titanota rosettes range from 30 to 90 cm across; Hakugei tends to stay ball-shaped.

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