Agave titanota

Agave titanota is remarkable for the diversity of forms in which it presents itself: no two plants are alike! It is a medium-sized perennial succulent plant with a particularly open, compact, solitary rosette, composed of impressive, flat, lanceolate leaves whose colour varies from light green to glaucous and then to grey. Its coloured margin with hooked lateral spines is quite pronounced, turning hazelnut and then parchment-coloured as it dries and ripens. Indeed, the margin can be entire or deeply notched, and its teeth can be more or less numerous, large, hooked and twisted. This hardy perennial can tolerate drought and high temperatures very well. Use it to plant a dry slope in full sun in mild climate regions. In colder regions, plant in a pot protected from cold and humidity. 

Originally from Oaxaca in central Mexico, Agave titanota is above all a perennial succulent plant perfectly adapted to high temperatures that is used to growing on steep slopes and rocky ledges. It belongs to the Asparagaceae family (formerly Agavaceae), just like Yuccas or tuberose. This herbaceous succulent plant has rhizomes capable of producing few suckers, but it is almost devoid of an above-ground stem, which takes the form of an extremely short single trunk. The small rosette is very open when the plant is in full sun, but will be more compact in a partially shaded area. It will not exceed 70cm (27in) in all directions, with fairly slow growth. It is composed of massive, flat, lanceolate, succulent leaves, 60cm (24in) long and 12cm (5in) wide, with margins and lateral spines of various shapes, sizes and densities. They are initially hazelnut in colour before drying and becoming parchment-like. The terminal spine of the leaves is very large, measuring 3 to 4cm (1 to 2in) in length. When a rosette reaches the venerable age of 15 to 20 years, or even older, it produces a flowering stem reaching 3 to 6m (10 to 20ft) in height. It bears many horizontal branches. The branches bear flattened and spherical panicles composed of a myriad of small yellow tubular flowers. The rosette, known as semelparous, dies after flowering, which lasts several months, having taken care to produce many small peripheral rosettes to ensure its perpetuation.

In mild climates, it will find its place in a large rockery, a slope, or in a raised bed whose soil has been enriched with gravel or coarse sand. It can be planted with frost-resistant prickly pears such as Opuntia humifusa 'Millevaches', giant fennel, fairly hardy candle cacti (Cleistocactus strausii, Cylindropuntia imbricata), and ground-covering plants such as dwarf mugworts, which are all equally undemanding plants. Gardeners in colder regions can grow it in full sun in a very large pot on a terrace, carefully choosing the most sheltered spot, to recreate a setting inspired by gardens from the edge of the world.