Agave parryi var. neomexicana

Description

Agave paryi ssp. neomexicana from the mountains of New Mexico and Texas where nights can be cold and winters often damp making this Agave one of the hardier species, worth a try outside in milder UK gardens.  Forms a very architectural rosette of dense chunky blue-grey spiked leaves to around 50cm in diameter.

Agave neomexicana is a fabulous succulent that adds an architectural and exotic feel to the garden.  Care of the agave is easy but success is dependant on keeping to a few simple rules.  Your agave must be kept dry, this is particularly important during winter when it is damp rather than the cold that can kill this tough little plant.  To achieve this the  plant can either be planted in a pot using a mix of 50% each of soil based compost and grit, then placed in full sun which gives the option of moving to a greenhouse or light shed for the winter or alternatively if you are lucky enough to have a coastal mild garden, plant in a well drained spot such as a bank or slope, adding plenty of grit when planting.  For added effect a top dressing of grit underneath the agave helps protect the lower leaves and adds to the striking appearance of the plant.

As with all hardy or hardy-ish agave if you want to try growing year-round outside choose a hot sunny position with perfect drainage, add gravel and ideally mulch around the base with gravel too. I always recommend building a roof over the top of treasured agave plants in winter. Simply hammer in 4 stakes around the agave a fix a clear plastic ‘roof’ onto the top of each stake above the agave leaving the sides clear allowing wind to pass through the leaves.

Alternately we recommend growing in a pot in full sun from April to the end of October depending on the weather and moving it to a greenhouse, conservatory or even shed for the winter where it can have protection from freezing and wet. No watering will be needed from November to March.