Agave parryi var. truncata ‘Huntington’ (Artichoke Agave)

Highly sought after, Agave parryi var. truncata ‘Huntington’ (Artichoke Agave) is an evergreen, perennial succulent forming tight rosettes of thick, broad, short, pale blue-gray leaves with widely spaced small teeth and a wavy terminal spine. Dark reddish-brown on new leaves, the spines fade to gray on older leaves. Adding intriguing beauty, the leaves carry on their lower surfaces the distinct imprints of the thorny leaf margins of the previous outer leaf-bud. Mature plants (over 10 years) flower only once. They are topped with a magnificent flowering spike with unusual bi-colored inflorescences: tinged orange in bud, the flowers open yellow. The flowering rosette dies after flowering, but new rosettes formed by offsets will slowly root at the base of the mother rosette. Amazing when massed in a sunny garden or in large containers, ‘Huntington’ is a clone that has been grown at the Huntington Botanical Garden since 1951.

• Grows up to 2-3 ft. tall (60-90 cm) and 3-4 ft. wide (90-120 cm).
• Easily grown in slightly acidic, sandy or gravelly, dry to medium moisture, well-drained soils in full sun. Tolerates light shade. Dry soil and drought tolerant.
• Great for beds and borders, city gardens, rock gardens, succulent gardens or Mediterranean gardens. Ideal as an accent plant in sunny borders or in decorative containers.
• Plant away from foot traffic: the needle-sharp spines on the leaf tips can be a hazard to humans and pets. Don’t plant this Agave near paths or walkways
• Attracts hummingbirds and birds but is deer resistant
• Virtually disease free. Watch for scale insects.
• Propagate by offsets.
• Use caution, safety glasses, long sleeves, long pants, well covered shoes, and gloves when cutting this plant.
• Native to Arizona, Texas and N Mexico