Plant Library

Other Names:  Century Plant

Description:

An attractive variety producing a fine rosette of very narrow, spine tipped green leaves; offshoots will create a colony of rosettes; infrequent flower stalks produce green to burgundy-violet flowers; a great accent, or massing plant

Ornamental Features

Hedgehog Agave features bold spikes of burgundy cup-shaped flowers with violet overtones rising above the foliage in mid summer. It has attractive green evergreen foliage which emerges light green in spring. The succulent narrow leaves are highly ornamental and remain green throughout the winter.

Landscape Attributes

Hedgehog Agave is a multi-stemmed evergreen shrub with a more or less rounded form. It lends an extremely fine and delicate texture to the landscape composition which should be used to full effect.

This shrub will require occasional maintenance and upkeep, and usually looks its best without pruning, although it will tolerate pruning. Deer don't particularly care for this plant and will usually leave it alone in favor of tastier treats. Gardeners should be aware of the following characteristic(s) that may warrant special consideration;

• Suckering
• Spiny

Hedgehog Agave is recommended for the following landscape applications;

• Accent
• Rock/Alpine Gardens
• General Garden Use
• Container Planting

Planting & Growing

Hedgehog Agave will grow to be about 20 inches tall at maturity extending to 6 feet tall with the flowers, with a spread of 20 inches. It tends to fill out right to the ground and therefore doesn't necessarily require facer plants in front. It grows at a slow rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for approximately 10 years.

This shrub should only be grown in full sunlight. It prefers dry to average moisture levels with very well-drained soil, and will often die in standing water. It is considered to be drought-tolerant, and thus makes an ideal choice for a low-water garden or xeriscape application. It is not particular as to soil pH, but grows best in poor soils. It is highly tolerant of urban pollution and will even thrive in inner city environments. This species is not originally from North America. It can be propagated by multiplication of the underground bulbs.

Hedgehog Agave makes a fine choice for the outdoor landscape, but it is also well-suited for use in outdoor pots and containers. Because of its height, it is often used as a 'thriller' in the 'spiller-thriller-filler' container combination; plant it near the center of the pot, surrounded by smaller plants and those that spill over the edges. Note that when grown in a container, it may not perform exactly as indicated on the tag - this is to be expected. Also note that when growing plants in outdoor containers and baskets, they may require more frequent waterings than they would in the yard or garden.