|
Agave isthmensis (Dwarf Butterfly Agave) - A small, offsetting agave with the individual rosettes reaching to 1 foot tall by an equal width with 4 to 5 inch long by 2- to 3-inch-wide powder-gray-blue ovate leaves that narrow towards the base and are at their widest near the tip. The leaves have a slightly gritty (rugose) texture and margins that have shallow rounded lobes with prominent dark reddish-brown teeth and a terminal spine. The flower stalk can reach to 6-7 feet tall with short side branches bearing yellow flowers.
Plant in full coastal sun or filtered to part sun inland and irrigate only occasionally. This is not listed as a hardy Agave, but we have had plants remain unscathed after night time temperatures of 25°F. A great Agave for little nooks in a coastal succulent garden and also great as a container plant.
There are a few forms of this plant that comes from the Isthmus of Tehuantepec, which is located along the southern coast of Oaxaca. The specific epithet is a reference to the isthmus from which this plant comes from.
The more common form of this species in cultivation has smoother textured leaves and comes from an area near the coast at Salina Cruz but the form we grew starting in 2009 comes from a bit more inland to the north of Santo Domingo Tehuantepec northwest of the town of Santiago Laollaga and it has rougher gray leaves. We also have grown a selected slightly variegated dwarf form we call Agave isthmensis 'Mendoza' that was named for Santa Barbara succulent grower Joe Mendoza.
Information displayed on this page about Agave isthmensis is based on our research conducted about this plant in our nursery library as well as from information provided by reliable online resources. We also include our own observations made about it as it has grown in the nursery gardens and other gardens visited, as well how the crops of this plant performed in the containers in our nursery field. We will also include comments received from others and welcome hearing from anyone who has information about this plant, particularly if it includes cultural information aiding others to better grow it.
|
