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| Category: Succulent |
| Family: Agavaceae (now Asparagaceae) |
| Origin: Mexico (North America) |
| Evergreen: Yes |
| Flower Color: Green |
| Bloomtime: Infrequent |
| Synonyms: [A. 'Ruth Bancroft', Hort., 'Sharkskin Shoes'] |
| Parentage: (A. asperrima x A. ferdinandi-regis) |
| Height: 2-3 feet |
| Width: 3-4 feet |
| Exposure: Full Sun |
| Summer Dry: Yes |
| Deer Tolerant: Yes |
| Irrigation (H2O Info): Low Water Needs |
| Winter Hardiness: 20-25° F |
| May be Poisonous (More Info): Yes |
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Agave 'Sharkskin' (Sharkskin Agave) - This structural succulent plant grows to 3 feet tall with evenly-spaced thick triangular dark gray-green leaves that have smooth margins and a prominent sturdy terminal spine. Plant suckers to produce colonies of this beautiful plant. Plant in full sun. Little irrigation required. The first Shark Skin Agave we grew came from the Huntington Botanic Garden but this one came from the Ruth Bancropft Garden and it is a bit more upright. They are both originally from a population of a naturally occurring hybrids of the ferdinandi-regis form of Agave victoriae-reginae (these two plants, once considered separate species have more recently been synonymized) crossed with a subspecies of Agave scabra, a plant that is now considered to be a subspecies of Agave asperrima. The common name Shark Skin was applied due to this plant's texture and color - some use this common name as a cultivar name (which is less of a mouthful than Agave x ferdinandi-regis x scabra). More about this plant's origins can be found on our Agave Sharkskin Page. Another name that is sometimes applied to this plant is Agave 'Ruth Bancroft'. Although some of the plants in cultivation may have been distributed by this very fine botanic garden in Walnut Creek, CA, this name is confusing and not supported by Ruth Bancroft Garden Plant Curator Brian Kemble. Plants from the Ruth Bancroft Garden were supplied to a tissue culture lab by Yucca Do nursery and to keep them separate from the plants from the Huntington Botanic Garden, which were tissue cultured originally by Rancho Tissue Technologies, they are now being called called 'Sharkskin Shoes'. We have grown plants originating from both of these gardens side by side and though quite similar we have noticed that 'Sharskin Shoes' is more upright and seems to be less affected by the mealybug that plagues 'Sharkskin'.
This information about Agave 'Sharkskin Shoes' 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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