Artichoke Century Plant (Agave)

Said to occur naturally only in Durango, Mexico, this spectacular agave (Agave parryi ssp. truncata) truly lives up to its name, appearing like a gigantic blue artichoke head in garden beds. Like other agave, it is a monocarpic perennial, blooming only once every decade or two then dying, investing all its remaining energy into flowering and seed production. Also like to many other Agave, this subspecies will live on in the garden after flowering thanks to its production of “pups”, small offsets that mature into their own Agave rosettes after the mother plant dies. A long-lived, one-of-a-kind architectural addition for larger waterwise gardens where its spine-tipped leaves won’t intrude into pathways. Best in warmer portions of the western United States.