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Admirable agave
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This hardy plant is a popular indoor and outdoor option
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This species of agave, also known as the century plant, is the commonest.
AGAVES ARE succulents with decorative sword-like leaves. They belong to the family agavaceae and the name is from the Greek aqavous, (admirable) referring to the spectacle of the plants in flower. The place of origin is Mexico. They are desert plants, and will thrive wherever it is sunny and warm and the soil is well drained. Their striking form, size and survivability have endeared them to gardeners the world over. Flowers are not produced on plants grown indoors.
The thick, hardy, fleshy leaves — at first tightly wrapped around each other to form a stiff and erect central core — gradually unfold and eventually will curl slightly over the edge of the pot.
Many kinds of agaves are fiercely spined and the leaves of almost all are arranged in rosettes. The species vary considerably in size and form.
Agave Americana, known as the century plant, is the commonest species. It grows so big that it can be used indoors only when quite young. The leaves are blue green, sword-shaped, spine-tipped and leathery, stretching up to 80 cm long. Among the variegated forms are Agave marginata, with yellow leaf margins, and Agavea medio-picta with a central band of yellow bordered with green colour. These plants are much smaller than the typical Americana. These variegated forms are prettiest when kept small and they are more suitable indoors.
Flowering takes place in 10-12 years. The plant dies after flowering, but many suckers develop and soon a large clump develops.
Agave victoria reginae makes a dense lightly compressed rosette, which rarely grows taller than 22 cm. The dark green leaves are 15 cm long, roughly triangular and beautifully marked with brilliant white, slightly raised patches along the margins.
These edges are plain but have a very hard sharp point. Growth is so slow that only one or two leaves a year can be expected.
This is the most attractive of all the agaves and is popular as a houseplant.
Agave is used for rock slopes, sunny banks, in large pots or as a summer bedding plant.
CHITRA RADHAKRISHNAN
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