Named for the French horticulturist and plant collector Maurice de Vilmorin, it’s easy to see how this agave got its common name: “Octopus.” It will take on the look of the wild and wavy sea creature in the right growing situations. A striking textural accent plant with a shorter lifespan than most agaves – about 10 years before flowering and dying. If you have the space, a solitary specimen or 3 planted en masse will look quite dramatic. Light green to gray green, strap-like, elongated leaves that are recurved and slightly twisted upward. Leaf margins are smooth, sometimes tapering to a relatively soft terminal spine. Just give the vilmoriniana plenty of space to stretch out, about 8-12 feet between specimens. Also give it some shade, as the octopus agave can show heat stress in full sun in Phoenix in the form of terminal leaf necrosis.

This tough and hardy agave is found naturally in the rocky slopes and hillsides of Sonora, Mexico. Today, it’s found anywhere designers want to make a statement with a reliable, medium-sized agave. The extremely cold and drought tolerant colorata forms a stunning solitary rosette that can grow up to 4 feet in diameter, with leaves ranging from 18 to 24 inches in length. The rosette is densely packed with blue-gray to silvery-blue leaves that have a striking powdery coating. The leaves’ edges are adorned with small, sharp teeth, providing a unique textural contrast to the smooth surface of the foliage. At the ends are a stiff, sharp point. Plant en masse for a sea of cool color or nestle between and around warm-colored boulders and bright green grasses for full color impact in your xeriscape garden.

This charming dwarf Agave was originally produced from tissue culture in California. Its lovely coloring and compact, symmetrical form make it highly desirable.  Thick chunky leaves are soft blue/grey with orange/red marginal teeth and dark red terminal spines. Each leaf will show a distinctly patterned imprint, giving even more visual drama to this specimen. Growing equally well in full sun to part shade, this dwarf blue agave is great for small gardens or container gardens. Plant in well-draining soil and water occasionally once established. In times of drought, water regularly. Enjoy the mystical presence of ‘Dragon Toes’ in a succulent garden where the sharp spines are out of reach from people and pets.

The common name is a nod to Zacatecas, Mexico and the species name indicates the broader region where these sturdy and sculptural Agaves originate from. “Durangensis” means “from Durango” and refers to the native distribution of the species in Durango, Mexico. Deep guttered, vertical leaves of gray-green growing from a thick rosette, helps identify this Agave. Adding to its dramatic appearance, they have numerous, large marginal teeth that create an outstanding bud imprint on the leaf surfaces with leaves tipped by a strong, nearly black terminal spike. The rosettes grow to 6 feet in diameter, usually solitary or offsetting sparingly. Leaves are up to 3 feet long. Provide them with well-drained, or granite-laden soils and some extra water during the growing season to keep these handsome Agaves happy.

This Agave that hales from Oaxaca, Mexico is easily identified by its light blue-green leaf color and wide, white to brownish marginal teeth that often resemble the mouth of an angry shark. These teeth produce picturesque bud imprints on the leaf surfaces. They are smallish plants and solitary, making them good candidates for container culture or used as unassuming focal point specimens. Good drainage is a must and protection from hard frosts during winter is advisable. Many named selections exist in the Agave collector trade, including ‘White Ice’, which has a more powdery blue color with black terminal spines and strong tooth imprints on the back leaf surface. ‘Black & Blue’ is a smaller, dramatic version with blue-green tightly formed rosettes, and leaf margins with wide, sharp stunningly curved black teeth. And Agave titanota ‘fo76’, (syn. Agave sp. ‘Sierra Mixteca FO-076’) which is a specimen plant reportedly collected from Rancho Rio Tambor, that has green, short squatty leaves with ghostly white large marginal teeth.

This Agave is described as medium large, green to grayish, forming open arching rosettes with wide pliable, straight to recurving guttered leaves with smooth leaf edges, ending in a 1.5-2 in. terminal spine. This is all true information but these Agaves have way more majesty than this precise physical description indicates. Often, when plant aficionados come across an Agave weberi they are usually in awe from the sight of them. These are soft-leafed, gray-green plants with a pleasing urn shape. They are sculptural without looking deadly or overbearing despite their mature size. They make excellent container plants, landscape specimen plants or even blend into sophisticated tropical designs. Like other agaves, they demand well-drained soil, and they are free suckering, creating many pups around the base of the mother plant.

These Agaves are slate gray in color forming tight, upright rosettes of wide spatulate shaped leaves armed with sharp, often wildly curved, light gray teeth along the margins ending in a gray to brown, 1.5-2 in. terminal spine. Their impressive and interesting teeth often leave mesmerizing bud imprints on leaf surfaces. They are mostly solitary plants with pups developing as older plants start reaching maturity to send up their eventual flower stalk. When they begin blooming, stout vertical stalks appear that look like giant asparagus spears. These will start growing in late summer to fall growing several feet high then stop. These head-high thick stalks exist until they finish their bloom cycle during the next summer where clusters of reddish purple buds give way to golden yellow flowers on top of widely branched bloom stalks that eventually reach 10 ft. or more in height. These cold hardy agaves naturally occupy high chaparral communities in desert scrub around 5000 ft., into mixed oak and pine forests up to 8000 ft. elevation.

In the same way people think spiny hedgehogs are cute, these NM Agaves are the epitome of spiky cuteness. These Agaves have a distinctive powder blue color, which is clearly a drought resistant tactic, and they have sharp protruding curved marginal teeth leading up the sides of each leaf culminating in a majestic, 2 in. long jet-black colored terminal spine. They are smaller than most other A. parryi types, only growing about 2 ft. tall and they are typically wider than they are tall. These are some of the most naturally cold hardy agaves available. The center of diversity for Agaves is in the middle of Mexico. This Agave occurs naturally at the furthest northeastern range of that area in oak pinyon/juniper habitats up to about 7000 ft., from where it gets its common name. In low desert landscapes they blend well with other accent plants, under desert legume trees or with desert willows, especially when they are planted amongst ornamental shrubs, grasses or perennials.

In the same way people think spiny hedgehogs are cute, these NM Agaves are the epitome of spiky cuteness. These Agaves have a distinctive powder blue color, which is clearly a drought resistant tactic, and they have sharp protruding curved marginal teeth leading up the sides of each leaf culminating in a majestic, 2 in. long jet-black colored terminal spine. They are smaller than most other A. parryi types, only growing about 2 ft. tall and they are typically wider than they are tall. These are some of the most naturally cold hardy agaves available. The center of diversity for Agaves is in the middle of Mexico. This Agave occurs naturally at the furthest northeastern range of that area in oak pinyon/juniper habitats up to about 7000 ft., from where it gets its common name. In low desert landscapes they blend well with other accent plants, under desert legume trees or with desert willows, especially when they are planted amongst ornamental shrubs, grasses or perennials.