Agaves green up the winter garden

December 28, 2011


Southern gardens traditionally rely on evergreen shrubs for winter structure and greenery. In my Southern meets Southwestern garden, agaves serve the same purpose. Pictured here is ‘Moby,’ the white whale of my garden—‘Whale’s Tongue’ agave (A. ovatifolia), whose broad, cupped leaves, each serrated with thorns and tipped with a spike, arch gracefully and play with shadows.


Diminutive ‘Queen Victoria’ agave (A. victoriae-reginae) reigns over her own small kingdom: a raised bed where her symmetrical perfection and neat, white edging lines can be better appreciated.


Chunky, triangular, white-edged leaves are eyecatching in any season.


Is Moby jealous? He waves his flukes in the blue light shining through the bottle tree, showing off a bit.


Long-limbed variegated American agave (A. americana var. mariginata) lets its snazzy yellow and green stripes do all the talking. Unlike the other plants pictured here, this agave is somewhat cold-tender in Austin. It can take hard freezes, but not prolonged ones, and last winter’s extended freeze killed off its predecessor. Luckily this variety is a dime-a-dozen around here and a fast grower. It also pups (creates offset baby agaves) frequently, and those often survive under their mother’s skirts after a hard freeze.


Manfredas, or false agaves, also earn a place in my garden, along with beautiful cousins like mangaves (agave-manfreda hybrids). Pictured here are the wavy-edged leaves of ‘Chocolate Chips’ manfreda and the freckled rosette of ‘Bloodspot’ mangave. Gray santolina (Santolina chamaecyparissus) softens the pairing with its feathery texture.


I took these pictures yesterday afternoon, my first foray into the garden in more than a week, as I’d been so busy with Christmas preparations and visitors. While the grasses and perennials are brown or frost-blackened, the fresh greens (and yellows, burgundies, and blues) of these spiny beauties reminded me why I love them so.

All material © 2006-2011 by Pam Penick for Digging. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited.

11 responses to “Agaves green up the winter garden”

  1. Jenn says:

    Fab!

    Thanks, Jenn! —Pam

  2. I love the pairing of the ‘Chocolate Chip’ manfreda and the ‘Bloodspot’ mangave! Of course I love them all but that one really jumped out.

    Thanks, Loree. I’m happy with that combo too, and it’s right by the stairs so I see it every time I go into the garden. —Pam

  3. These specimens are show-stoppers! Especially this time of year, I’m always looking for greens that aren’t conifer based. Although we might not have the ideal conditions in Portland for agaves, etc. I need to get more experimental since some gardeners here have figured it out and had successes. That ‘Moby’ is one handsome devil, especially with the blue light from your bottle tree playing over his gray leaves. And what a good companion the santolina is with the agaves and their kin. I have grown several kinds in the past but don’t have one currently; I need to remedy that this year.

    I’d love to be able to grow conifers, Jane, but they don’t love central Texas. We always want what we don’t have, right? I know Danger Garden in Portland has the agave thing figured out, though she does go to a good deal of trouble for them. I hope you’re able to add a few to your garden as well. Once you have one, you’re sure to want more. They’re like potato chips that way. —Pam

  4. Shirley says:

    Great winter interest in your garden, love the “blue” agave.

    Thanks, Shirley. Moby is a long-time favorite of mine. —Pam

  5. Tina says:

    I love the combination of the manfreda, mangrave and santolina–a beautiful trio of plants. I’m such a sucker for plants with long bloom times, so I’ve always been little resistant to agave and other spiky things, but they are excellent for that evergreen (or gray or blue…) structure in the Texas garden. Lovely photos, as always.

    Thanks, Tina. Spiky, structural plants would look great with all your long-blooming perennials. And many of them are content even in shady conditions, so long as they have good drainage. —Pam

  6. It’s all good…very true, you are where the south meets the southwest. (though I know more than one native to central/S TX that does not like being called “the south”, to him it is “southwest”) What would you have without all your spiny, spiky plants in the garden?

    I would have a dull winter garden, David, and a duller summer one. I rely on agaves, yuccas, sotols, and the like for structure, year-round color, and exciting form. —Pam

  7. I haven’t really planted manfredas (or mangaves, for that matter) and can’t wait to try the ‘Chocolate Chip’ variety. They look gorgeous! You’re so right – these tough agaves are so vital to a stunning winter garden and yours is no exception. Gorgeous photos of a gorgeous garden!

    Aw, thanks, Rebecca. You will love mangaves and manfredas. You mean you haven’t tried ‘Macho Mocha’ mangave either? You need that one AND ‘Chocolate Chips’! —Pam

  8. Laurie says:

    I so envy the Agaves!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    Agaves certainly inspire passion in a lot of people, Laurie. —Pam

  9. How I love agaves! You always show such beauties, Pam! Have a Happy and healthy New Year!

    And to you, Tatyana! It was such a treat to meet you in person this year in Seattle. —Pam

  10. Tara Gruber says:

    I’m always in awe of your beautiful photos but I have to say that both the lighthouse and the girl-running-by-sculpture photos are truly stunning. They look like something I’d see in a magazine or book! Beautiful, just beautiful. I stopped and lingered for a while at the one of McDowell’s prairie garden as well – wow. I loved the snow one too and of course the helpful information and photos on mangaves and various agaves. Curious – what is the lovely peach-colored rose floating in the birdbath? It’s so pretty . . .

  11. Tara Gruber says:

    whoops, sorry, it appears I left that last comment under the wrong section . . .