If you want a garden that you will never, ever need to water, consider agaves. There are more than a hundred agave species and varieties available to gardeners in Southern California, so you will have plenty of options if you decide to go all in with them.
The genus name Agave is derived from a Greek word meaning “noble,” and both the appearance and biology of agave species possess noble aspects. Many species, those that grow no more than a foot or two in height, have the appearance of royal crowns; one is named after a queen (Agave victoriae-reginae) and another is named after a king (Agave ferdinandi-regis). Along with maize and potatoes, agaves were a pillar of the economies of the Aztec and Mayan peoples. Agaves were utilized for food and drink, as well as in the manufacture of soap, textiles and clothing, red dye, needles, medicines, and fencing.
Agaves also display nobility in sacrificing themselves, after a decade or two of life, for the next generation as they throw all their energy into flowering and then die. Agave flowering is often a spectacular sight since the flower stalk grows one foot a day or more, reaching a height of 40 feet in some species. In the agave’s habitat, these flower stalks tower above all other plants in order to make it easy for bats to access and feed on the nectar in agave flowers. In the process of foraging for nectar, these bats – in the manner of nectar-seeking bees on fruit tree blossoms – pollinate agave flowers. Incidentally, the “century plant” (Agave americana) is a misnomer since the lifespan of this and all other agaves, on average, does not exceed 25 years and many of them flower and die at 10-15 years of age.
Those who grow blue agave (Agave tequilana) for its potent potable potential remove the flower stalk before it can develop in order to channel energy that would be used for making flowers and seeds into fattening up the pina, or heart of the plant, whose carbohydrate is transformed into tequila. Where flower stalks are allowed to grow and set seed, pinas do not enlarge nearly as much as when flower stalks are nipped in the bud. A full six to 12 months elapse between detaching the incipient flower and harvesting the pina. (Note: pina means “pineapple” and refers to the appearance of the harvested agave heart once leaves are stripped away.)
There has been a significant increase in tequila farming in recent years due to the economic return on investment since inputs of water and fertilizer are minimal. The problem is that only one variety, Weber’s Blue, is legally permitted for authentic tequila distillation and because of what happens in a monoculture generally, when only one variety of a crop is planted, resistance to diseases and pests is undermined. Weber’s Blue agave, for example, is particularly susceptible to fungus and bacterial diseases as well as the devastating agave snout weevil that causes the complete collapse of the plant. Tequila aside, Agave tequilana is a symmetrical plant that makes a stunning stand-alone specimen as a garden accent or in a container. It is also useful for erosion control on slopes. If you are not interested in making tequila, choose from the blue agave Lemeno and Sunrise varieties, both of which are adorned with yellow leaf margins.
By the time they die, agaves will typically have produced a number of offspring at their base, so-called pups that grow from rhizomes of the mother plant. A minority of agave plants may or may not produce pups, but will sprout a hundred or more “mini-me” bulbils on their flower stalks. Bulbils are miniature versions of the mother plant, often with roots attached. Even bulbils without roots are easily propagated by dipping their bottoms in root hormone and planting them in small pots.
Agaves are famous for growing slowly, requiring little water, and possessing a shallow root system. These characteristics make them ideal not only for homeowners who want a garden of succulent sculptures that never need to be watered but for those who, with limited space, must grow everything in containers.
People associate agaves with formidable spines as stand-offish as cactus. This stereotype is fostered by many species with barbed wire leaf margins that deter close contact with them unless you are wearing chainmail gloves.
Although most agaves develop spines, there are a number of them with smooth leaves. The most notable is foxtail agave (Agave attenuata), named for its fluffy, attenuated inflorescence. It is a familiar sight in Southern California with its soft, pale green, rosetted foliage and 10- to 15-foot arching flower spike. Agave attenuata var. variegata has leaves with alternating bands of gold and green. Octopus agave (Agave vilmoriniana) has smooth blue twisting tentacles for leaves. Its flower stalk bears hundreds of bulbils. The largest agave is Agave mapisaga var. Lisa, its varietal name meaning “smooth” in Spanish, referring to the texture of its gargantuan leaves that may grow eight feet long. The Blue Glow and Blue Flame agave varieties have soft blue foliage and a clumping growth habit. They create a sense of calm in the garden, with Blue Glow standing out with red and gold lines on the margins of its leaves. Twin-flowered agave (Agave geminiflora) is a stunning selection with its hundreds of spineless needle-like leaves that reach two feet long. San Marcos Growers (smgrowers.com) is a premiere source for succulents of all kinds whose inventory includes many dozens of agave species.
White sage (Salvia apiana), a California native, is being relentlessly poached in the wild due its vaunted curative properties. It has gained an international reputation for spiritual cleansing when burned as a smudge stick. Although not yet an officially endangered species, it could become one in the near future. A number of white sage (Salvia apiana) giveaways, sponsored by the Orange County chapter of the California Native Plant Society, will take place over the next few months. A list of dates, venues, times, and number of sages to be given away, one per Orange County resident, follows: 11/12, Tree of Life Nursery Sage Festival, San Juan Capistrano, 9 a.m. – noon, 96 plants; 11/19, The Ecology Center, San Juan Capistrano, 9 a.m. – noon, 96 plants; 11/26, The Environmental Nature Center, Newport Beach, 10 a.m. – noon, 96 plants; 12/3, The Fullerton Arboretun, Fullerton, 9 a.m. – noon, 96 plants; 1/14, Nature Interpretive Center, Dana Point Headlands, 9:30 a.m. – noon, 96 plants; 1/21, Orange Home Grown, Orange,10 a.m. – noon, 96 plants; 1/28, Heritage Garden, 10 a.m.-noon., 96 plants; 2/19, Unitarian Universalist Church, Costa Mesa, 10 a.m. – noon, 50 plants; 2/22, Laguna Beach Garden Club, Laguna Beach, 9:30 a.m. – noon, 80 plants; 2/25, Shipley Nature Center, Huntington Beach, 10 a.m. – noon, 50 plants. For more information, call Elizabeth Wallace at 949-370-0590.
California native of the week: When in bloom, flannel bush (Fremontodendron californicum) is one the most spectacular California natives. Its yellow flowers are so profuse that they may completely obscure the bristly foliage that gives it its common name. Flannel bush grows rapidly to a mature height of 20 feet and a width of 15 feet and, planted now, will already be flowering abundantly when spring arrives. Named varieties are more attractive than the species, but any flannel bush will provide an unforgettable, if somewhat problematic, botanical experience. Leaves are quite attractive with their three soft lobes and rust-colored tone. Unfortunately, the rusty look is made possible by irritating hairs. You absolutely must wear long sleeves and trousers working around this plant, as well as gloves and a face mask. Pruning is a real challenge because you invariably become covered with foliar flannel. It is best to plant flannel bush in an area where you will not need to prune it at all because it serves as a background up against a wall or fence where it receives direct sun throughout the day. Any sort of standing water is absolutely deadly to this plant so it is best to never water it after its first year in the ground. Flannel bushes typically live for only six to eight years but many still consider them worthwhile because of their prolific, long-lasting flower show. You can grow it on a trellis but will need to keep it ruthlessly cut back to keep it in bounds, a conundrum since pruning flannel bush when it is more than a few years old can quickly lead to its demise.
Please send questions, comments, and photos, especially of seldom-seen agave species or California natives to joshua@perfectplants.com
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