Agave parryi var. neomexicana

Agave parryi subsp. neomexicana is part of a tribe of agaves capable of withstanding very severe frosts, around -25°C (-13°F) in dry soil. It is a subspecies of Parry's Agave, from which it differs mainly in the number of leaves that make up its rosette, as well as in their oval shape, which is less tapered, bordered in black, with each bearing a superb terminal spine of the same colour. The plant is of medium size for the genus and develops into a well-organised rosette of light grey-green colour with bluish reflections. The summer flowering, in a panicle reaching 3m (10ft) in height, signifies the death of the plant which will have taken care to produce numerous daughter rosettes. This agave will naturally structure a minimalist, mineral, exotic setting in a dry garden as well as on a south-facing terrace.

Native to a small location in the Organ Mountains, in the state of New Mexico in the USA, Agave parryi subsp. neomexicana is part of those agaves propagated in cultivation by enthusiasts always looking for exotic plants capable of surviving our cold and humid winters. This slow-growing botanical species is adapted to semi-desert climates. It belongs to the Asparagaceae family (formerly Agavaceae), just like yuccas or tuberose. This perennial herbaceous succulent plant has rhizomes capable of producing suckers, but it is almost devoid of aerial stems. Like a big cabbage, it is composed of numerous leaves overlapping each other, superimposed like roof tiles, forming a basal rosette, tall and wide at maturity, measuring 60cm (24in). The oval-shaped leaves are smooth, rigid, thick, light grey-green with bluish reflections, and bordered by rather red spines in young plants, becoming black over time. The end of each leaf is equipped with a sharp spine, black to red in colour, shiny, and formed by the fusion of margins of the same colour. This pretty dark border enhances both the colour of the leaves and the silhouette of the plant. When a rosette is mature, after many years, it produces a flowering stem reaching 3m (10ft) in height. It bears some horizontal branching. The branches bear flat and spherical panicles, 7 to 10cm (3 to 4in) wide, composed of a myriad of small red buds. The semelparous rosette dies after flowering, which lasts several months, having taken care to produce many small peripheral rosettes to ensure its perpetuity. This species forms numerous suckers from a young age.

Cultivable in many regions, this agave will suit a large rockery, or placed at the edge of a dry garden, where its unique architectural presence will beautifully dress a minimalist decor punctuated by some wild grasses such as Stipa ichu or Stipa gigantea. It can be planted with prickly pears, giant fennel, Nolina hibernica, and quite hardy candle cacti (Cleistocactus strausii, Cylindropuntia imbricata), which are all equally undemanding plants. This agave can also be grown in a very large pot on a terrace, carefully choosing the sunniest spot, protected from winter rains, to recreate an exotic scene.

Agave is an edible plant, used in Mexico to make mescal, an alcoholic beverage obtained by fermenting its juice rich in sugars. It is also used in traditional medicine in Mexico, Brazil, and India, and has proven antifungal properties. Very attractive to bees and nectar-seeking insects, the inflorescences attract many pollinators.