Variety Characteristics and Care Methods of Variegated Agaves

I. Common Varieties

Five-Color Wanda Variegated (Agave kerchovei v. pectinata), the plant has no stem, and its fleshy leaves are arranged in a rosette. The leaves are sword-shaped to lanceolate, slightly concave in the middle, firm and tough in texture, and not easy to break. The leaf tips have hard brown spines, the leaf margins are wavy with brown spines, the middle of the leaf is yellow-green, the two sides are dark green, and the outermost part is yellow.

Hime Ran-yuki Variegated (Agave parrifiora f. variegata), the rosette leaf disc is 15 cm to 20 cm in diameter, the leaves are narrowly lanceolate, about 10 cm long and 2 cm wide, with a terminal spine about 0.5 cm long. The leaf color is dark green with white or yellow markings, and the leaf margins have curled white hairs.

Huayan (Agave americana Var. medio-alba 'White Form'), the plant has no stem, and the leaves are arranged in a rosette. The leaves curve downward in an arc, are 15 cm long and 4-5 cm wide, with wavy margins and brown teeth. The leaf color is blue-green or yellow-green, with a white central stripe. There are also varieties with a yellow central stripe and yellow or white leaf margins, but they are relatively rare.

Kichijo-kan Variegated (Agave parasa f. variegata), the fleshy leaves are arranged in a rosette and grow radially in clusters. The plant can reach a maximum diameter of 20-25 cm. It has many leaves and grows densely. The growing point is wrapped by new leaves and is conical. The leaves are obovate, slightly wider in the upper half, with pointed tips. The leaves are 8-10 cm long and 4-6 cm wide. The leaf margins have short dark brown teeth, and the leaf tips have red-brown to purple-brown hard spines 2-3 cm long that grow twisted. The leaf color is blue-green or gray-green, covered with a thin layer of white powder, and the leaf margins or the center of the leaves have yellow or white stripes.

Princess Uchu-shin Variegated (Agave potatorum verschaffeltii 'compacta f. variegata'), the plant has no stem and grows densely in clusters. The thick, fleshy leaves are short and wide, crab-shell shaped, 3-3.5 cm long and 3.5-4 cm wide. The leaf color is blue-green or blue-green, covered with a thin white powder, with yellow or white markings. The leaf margins have sparse fleshy teeth, and the tooth tips bear yellow or red-brown short spines. There is also a short spine at the tip of the leaf.

Yellow Margin