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Products > Agave shawii 'Marginata'
 
Agave shawii 'Marginata' - Variegated Coastal Agave
   
Image of Agave shawii 'Marginata'
 
Habit and Cultural Information
Category: Succulent
Family: Agavaceae (now Asparagaceae)
Origin: California (U.S.A.)
California Native (Plant List): Yes
Evergreen: Yes
Yellow/Chartreuse Foliage: Yes
Flower Color: Red & Yellow
Bloomtime: Infrequent
Synonyms: [Agave shawii 'John Bleck']
Height: 2-3 feet
Width: 3-4 feet
Exposure: Full Sun
Seaside: Yes
Summer Dry: Yes
Deer Tolerant: Yes
Irrigation (H2O Info): Low Water Needs
Winter Hardiness: 25-30° F
May be Poisonous  (More Info): Yes
Agave shawii 'Marginata' (Variegated Coastal Agave) - A California native medium sized clump forming variegated agave with upright rosettes to 2 to 3 feet tall by 2 feet wide and suckering to form a cluster. The dark gray-green 1 to 2 foot long leaves have a greenish cream-yellow margin and large upwardly-curving and bent reddish spines and a short dark terminal spine. Though we have not seen this cultivar flower, if anything like the species it will have a large stout inflorescence that rises 6 to 14 feet.

Plant in full sun to light shade (requires shade in inland hot climates) in a well-drained soil. Little irrigation is required and regular summer irrigation is harmful to this species so best to avoid it. The species has proven hardy to 25° F and others note that some damage to this plant can occur at around 23° F and that it becomes more extensive at any temperatures below 18° F. It is is a very attractive succulent plant and the species is the only native California agave that comes from our coastal mediterranean climate. For more information about this plant see also our listing for the Agave shawii.

We received our first stock plant of this cultivar from John Bleck in 2009 who told us it had been collected by David Vargas at Punta Baja near El Rozario in Baja California in the late 80s. When John first received the plant its variegation was not initially that vivid but he worked to only select pups with a stronger variegated margins before giving it to us. 

This information about Agave shawii 'Marginata' displayed is based on research conducted in our horticultural library and from reliable online resources. We also will relate observations made about it as it grows in our nursery gardens and other gardens we have visited, as well how the crops have performed in containers in our nursery field. We will also incorporate comments that we receive from others and we welcome hearing from anyone with additional information, particularly if they can share any cultural information that would aid others in growing it.

 
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