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Products > Agave ovatifolia   Agave ovatifolia - Whale's Tongue Agave    [2nd Image] Habit and Cultural Information Category: Succulent Family: Agavaceae (Agaves) Origin: Mexico (North America) Evergreen: Yes Flower Color: Green Yellow Bloomtime: Infrequent Height: 3-4 feet Width: 3-4 feet Exposure: Full Sun Drought Tolerant: Yes Irrigation (H2O Info): Low Water Needs Winter Hardiness: 0-10° F May be Poisonous  (More Info): Yes Agave ovatifolia (Whale's Tongue Agave) - A solitary (non-offsetting) succulent that grows from 2 to 5 feet tall by 3 to 6 feet wide with a rounded rosette of short wide gray leaves that are distinctively cupped. Leaves have small teeth along their margins and a 1 inch long dark gray terminal spine. It has been noted that this plant has stayed smaller in hot dry locations where water has been withheld but responds well to irrigation and grow much larger. When this plant flowers it forms a 10-14 foot tall spike with greenish yellow flowers. Plant in full sun in a well drained soil. A drought tolerant plant but plants grow considerably larger when given regular irrigation. Has proven hardy down to to at least 4-5° F. This Agave occurs naturally at elevations from 3,700 to 7,000 feet int the Sierra de Lampazos in northern Nuevo Leon in northeastern Mexico. It was originally collected collected and distributed by Mrs Anna Nickels as Agave "Noah" but was was never properly described or published under this name. This plant was synomymized with Agave wislizenii by Trelease in 1911 and more recently included with A. parryii. It was properly described as Agave ovatifolia by Greg Starr and Jose Angel Villareal (STARR G, VILLARREAL JAQ. 2002. Agave ovatifolia (Agavaceae) Una Nueva Especie De Maguey Del Noreste De Mexico. Sida 20 (2): 495-499. There is speculation that this plant was distributed in California unnamed but there is no documentation on this or information how this plant performs in cultivation in California. As it is similar and related to Agave parryi the presumption is that it will grow as well as it Agave parryi does in cultivation - so far this has proven true. Our original stock plants from Starr Nursery. The common name, whale's tongue agave, comes from the shape of the leaves.  The description above is based on our research and observations of this plant growing in our nursery and in our own and other Santa Barbara gardens. We would appreciate hearing from anyone who has additional information or disagrees with what we have written.     [MORE INFO]