Agave vilmoriniana - Inland Valley Garden Planner

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Description

Octopus agave gets its name from its rubbery and twisting foliage character. It is a bold agave species, growing 5-6 ft. tall and as wide that develops long and flexible trough-shaped foliage. Leaves are pale green with soft pointed tips. Plants can mature and flower in as few as 5-6 years, producing striking 12-16 ft. tall spikes covered with showy pale yellow flowers that unfold over 6-8 weeks. Like many agave species, the flowering plant dies after flowering but produces many small plantlets on the flower stalk that can be easily planted. Damaged by cold below 25°F.

Octopus agave is widely distributed throughout Mexico where it grows on volcanic cliffs and steep rocky slopes. It has evolved without the need for protective spines necessary to ward off wildlife browsing. Its soft foliage has helped make it a popular landscape and garden plant that is widely grown throughout frost free zones of the Inland Empire. It provides specimen and sculptural uses in containers and for mass plantings.

Water Needs

Octopus agave is well adapted to frost-free parts of the Inland Empire in sunny exposures with normal winter rains and low amounts of summer irrigation. The chart shown below provides a recommended baseline guide to the monthly irrigation schedule and volume of supplemental water needed to maintain healthy growth throughout the average year. It should be noted there are several months indicated by an asterisk (*) when winter rains often provide sufficient moisture and irrigation is not needed. The high and low range of moisture indicates Octopus agave can grow with varying amounts of water; little supplemental water is needed during summer.

Irrigation Schedule and Graph

Low Water Use Plants

Irrigation Schedule 1

	Jan*	Feb*	Mar*	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov*	Dec*
Runs per Month	0x to 2x	0x to 2x	0x to 2x	1x	1x	1x	1x	1x	1x	1x	0x to 2x	0x to 2x
Inches per Run	1"	1"	1"	1"	1"	1"	1"	1"	1"	1"	1"	1"

Inches per Month	0" to 2"	0" to 2"	0" to 2"	1"	1"	1"	1"	1"	1"	1"	0" to 2"	0" to 2"

Range of supplemental summer water: 7"
Range of supplemental winter water: 0"-10"

0"-2"

Jan*

Feb*

Mar*

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov*

Dec*

For more information on how to use this Irrigation Schedule and Graph, click here.

Plant Properties

Plant Type: Agave
Foliage Character: Evergreen
Habit: Upright, Uniform, Symmetrical, Solitary, Rigid, Graceful
Growth Rate: Moderate
Height: 5 ft. - 6 ft.
Width: 5 ft. - 6 ft.
Water Needs: Low 1
Foliage Color: Pale green
Flower Color: Yellow
Flower Season: Spring, Insignificant
Soil Adaptations: Well-draining soil, Rocky soil
Exposure Adaptations: Heat, Drought, Aridity, All day sun
Function: Specimen, Hummingbird plant, Foliage accent plant, Container plant, Commercial spaces, Banks, Background plant

Maintenance

This is a very low maintenance plant. Queen Victoria Agave generally does not produce pups or offsets. It will survive in full sun, but will look best if protected from hot afternoon sun. After many years in the garden, it will produce a spectacular flower. After flowering the plant will die and need to be replaced (S).

References