Agave lechuguilla

Description

Agave lechiguilla is a compact clump-forming Agave from southwestern United States through to Mexico.  Commonly known, for good reason, as Shindagger, Agave lechuguilla grows on calcarious soils amongst dry scrub in the wild and is a valuable source of both nectar and leaves for native wildlife.  For us it’s one of those plants that looks better in cultivation than in the wild responding well to improved conditions.  

The Shindagger reaches up to a metre high foliage.  Making dense upright stands of stiff green to bluey-green leaves each armed with a sharp terminal spike.  The individual plants growing in clumps when mature, produce a dramatic flower spike up to 4.5m high which holds masses of purply almost petaless flowers each loaded with nectar attracting insects, birds and bats.  Hardy to -7.5° centigrade given protection from winter wet.