About

Agave americana 'Mediopicta Aurea' is a perennial succulent that develops a rigid rosette of blue-green foliage featuring a prominent yellow stripe down the center. The leaf margins are lined with sharp teeth, and each leaf tapers to a spine at its tip. This cultivar grows slowly, attaining a height of up to 1.2 meters when fully matured. Once established, mature specimens may send up a tall flowering spike adorned with yellow-green blossoms. Following this flowering event, the central rosette will perish, making way for new offsets that emerge from the base.

About the genus

Agave consists of either perennial or monocarpic succulents that develop rosettes of typically stiff, thick, spiny leaves. The plants produce funnel-shaped flowers in racemes or panicles that often exceed the height of the rosettes.

Growing conditions

Sunlight

Full sun, Partial shade

Soil type

Loam, Sand

Soil pH

Acid, Neutral

Soil moisture

Well-drained

Aspect

South-facing, West-facing, East-facing

Exposure

Exposed, Sheltered

UK hardiness

H2

Plant details

Plant type

Cactus Succulent, Conservatory Greenhouse

Habit

Clump forming

Foliage

Evergreen

Height

1-1.5 metres

Spread

1.5-2.5 metres

Time to full height

10-20 years

Suggested uses

City and courtyard gardens, Coastal, Cottage and informal garden, Gravel garden, Patio and container plants, Sub-tropical

Toxicity

Skin irritant. Wear gloves and other protective equipment when handling. Pets (dogs, cats): harmful if eaten. For further information and contact numbers regarding pets, see the HTA guide to potentially harmful plants

Care notes

Cultivation

Grow under glass in cactus compost, water freely when in growth, but keep almost dry over winter. Apply a dilute, liquid fertiliser 3 or 4 times during the growing season. Can be moved to a sunny spot outdoors in summer, but needs to overwinter in a greenhouse or conservatory. In very hot summers, may benefit from light afternoon shade to prevent scorching. See houseplant cacti and succulent cultivation for more advice

Pruning

No pruning required

Propagation

Propagate by removing offsets in spring or autumn

Pest resistance

May be susceptible to scale insects

Disease resistance

Generally disease-free