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Products > Agave attenuata 'Nova'   Agave attenuata 'Nova' - Blue Fox Tail Agave    [2nd Image] Habit and Cultural Information Category: Succulent Family: Agavaceae (Agaves) Origin: Mexico (North America) Evergreen: Yes Flower Color: Yellow Green Bloomtime: Infrequent Synonyms: [A. 'Boutin Blue', A. 'Blue Boy'] Height: 3-4 feet Width: 3-4 feet Exposure: Sun or Shade Drought Tolerant: Yes Irrigation (H2O Info): Low Water Needs Winter Hardiness: 25-30° F May be Poisonous  (More Info): Yes Agave attenuata 'Nova' (Blue Fox Tail Agave) - A selection of A. attenuata collected along a high rocky cliff at 7,200 feet in the Sierra de Manantlan by Myron Kimnack and Fred Boutin in 1970. Seedlings from these plants were originally distributed by the Huntington Botanic Garden (ISI#1442) in 1984. It is much bluer and has wider leaves than A. attenuata and the flower stalk is erect where A. attenuata droops over. Culture and growth patterns are otherwise similar to the species. Grows to about 3-4 feet tall by as wide. Hardy to about 28 degrees F. Recently it has been announced by the Huntington Botanic Gardens that Agave attenuata var. nova (ISI#1442) and Agave attenuata 'Nova' (ISI# 9038) are the same taxon. Although the name 'Nova' has been previously published and many believe it should remain the valid name, this cultivar has been renamed by Colin Walker in the June 2001 Journal of the British Cactus and Succulent Society as Agave attenuata 'Boutin Blue'. The reasons given for this renaming is that the cultivar name 'Nova' is not allowed by the rules of nomenclature for cultivated plants because it "may be considered to be Latin, and thus liable to cause confusion." As the word "nova", meaning "a star that ejects some of its material in the form of a cloud and become more luminous in the process", is also used as a noun in the English language and would thus be a legitimate name to use for a cultivar name and since San Marcos Growers has sold this plant since 1987 under the name Agave attenuata 'Nova', we continue to offer it under this original name.  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]