Photo of Agave nickelsiae by The Ruth Bancroft Garden

Photo by The Ruth Bancroft Garden

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Buy Agave nickelsiae

Also Known As

  • Agave ferdinandi-regis
  • Agave victoriae-reginae forma
  • King of the Agaves

Plant type

cactus / succulent

size

  • H: 1'-2'
  • W: 1'-2'

planting zones

  • 7b-11

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Agave nickelsiae plant details

Agave nickelsiae is an evergreen cactus / succulent with green foliage. Attracts hummingbirds. Grows well with sun and occasional - low water. Drought tolerant once established. Prefers to be dry in winter. Does well in gritty, lean, rocky and well-drained soil. A good option if you're seeking something heat tolerant and verticillium wilt resistant.

CHARACTERISTICS OF Agave nickelsiae

Plant type: cactus / succulent
Plant family: agavaceae, asparagaceae
Foliage: evergreen green
Mature size: 1 FT - 2 FT - wide, 1 FT - 2 FT - tall
Uses: architectural, container plant, desert garden, rock garden, rosette-forming, xeric

GROWING CONDITIONS for Agave nickelsiae

USDA Zones: 7b - 11
Sun exposure: sun
Watering frequency: occasional - low
Resistant to: deer and rabbit, heat and verticillium wilt
Soil needs: gritty, lean, rocky and well-drained

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Nursery contributed plant descriptions

Zn 7. Stout triangular leaves with long stripe.
Full Sun. Outdoor. Pale Green to Cream Flowers.

By: Moon - Sun Cactus & Koi Gardens

As is too often the case in the plant world, there is much confusion regarding the naming of this plant. It was first named as Agave nickelsiae in 1895, but was re-named as Agave ferdinandi-regis by Agave expert Alwin Berger in 1915. Later authors, notably including Howard Scott Gentry, considered it to be merely a form of Agave victoriae-reginae, not even meriting the rank of a subspecies or variety. Recently, however, a group of Mexican botanists have noted the significant floral differences between the plants, and they have concluded that A. nickelsiae should be recognized as a separate species. Both Agave nickelsiae and Agave victoriae-reginae are notable for their compact rosettes with striking white lines which look as though they had been painted on the surface. However, in A. nickelsiae there are fewer leaves in a rosette, and these tend to be narrower, longer, more splayed, and often with a milky-bluish tinge. A. nickelsiae usually also has a more prominent black spine at the tip of the leaf. In both species, the leaves sometimes have a double tip or even a triple tip. As with many kinds of Agave, A. nickelsiae and A. victoriae-reginae have surprisingly tall flower stalks for the size of the plant. The stalk of A. nickelsiae is even taller than that of its sister-species, reaching a height of 15 to 21 feet (4.5 to 6.5 m). Our plant in flower at The Ruth Bancroft Garden tops out at 20 feet (6 m). The flowers between the two species are significantly different, and this is perhaps the strongest reason for separating them. Those of A. nickelsiae are larger (listed as being 1⅔ to 1¾ inches long from the base to the petal tips, and ours exceed this at just over 2 inches), with the petals fanning out widely at the mouth, while the smaller flowers of A. victoriae-reginae have erect petals. The flower color differs as well. At the bud stage, A. nickelsiae flowers have a purplish tinge, and when they open this color is evident on the outsides of the petals (on the whole surface of the outer 3 petals, and on a stripe down the center of the inner 3). The inside of the flower is mostly off-white, but with a purple tint toward the tips. The stripe down the middle of the inner 3 petals is repeated on the inside, but it fades from purple to greenish going downward. The flowers of A. victoriae-reginae, in contrast, are white to greenish-white. In A. nickelsiae the stamens extend far beyond the petal tips, showing off the purple filaments, while the stamens of A. victoriae-reginae extend only a little beyond the tips, with white filaments. Agave nickelsiae is a slow-growing plant, and our blooming specimen took perhaps 20 years to reach maturity. It will die after completing its flowering cycle, but happily it has produced a few offsets to allow for its continuance in the garden.

Gardening facts about Agave nickelsiae plant

How to Grow Agave nickelsiae

  • Sun Exposure

    • sun
  • Water Needs

    • occasional - drought tolerant
  • Water Needs

    • dry in winter
  • Soil Needs

    • lean
    • well-drained
    • rocky
    • gritty
  • Special Situation

    • heat tolerant
    • verticillium wilt resistant

Features

  • Foliage Color

    • green
  • Wildlife

    • hummingbirds
    • deer resistant
    • rabbit resistant
  • Foliage Season

    • evergreen
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