Agave schidigera / 10 seeds

Agave schidigera is a slow-growing, rosette-forming, extremely drought-tolerant, perennial succulent native to the rocky cliffs and exposed regions of the north and central Mexico. Each plant develops a large, evergreen basal rosette of thick, hard, succulent, rigid, lanceolate green leaves with coarse margins and very sharp tips that turn bright orange or red. Until maturity, each rosette becomes 1-2 foot tall and 2-3 feet wide. Each leaf features a waxy sheen, sharp tip, and dazzling curly, white marginal hair-like filaments (fimbriate). Leaves of the same plant may vary in color from dark green to bronzish-green  and have white bud imprints which become conspicuous with age. Agave schidigera is famous for its rare but lovely flowering spikes. This plant is monocarpic (blooms only once after which it dies). Agave schidigera grows well in containers as an indoor plant. But indoor plants rarely bloom. When outdoor plants bloom, each rosette sends a single, erect, stout, 10-foot tall flowering stalk from its center. These stalks look similar to a telephone pole and has horizontal branches near the top. Flowers are greenish-yellow to dark purple and 2-3 inches long and bloom in panicles at the tip of the branch. The epithet schidigera in the plant’s name comes from Latin and means ‘bearing a splinter of wood’ due to the marginal fibers on the leaf blades.

Agave schidigera is hardy to: from 10 °F (−12.2 °C) to 40 °F (+4.4 °C) [USDA Hardiness Zones 8a to 10b].

Agave schidigera needs minimal care and actually thrives when somewhat neglected. It’s not a plant for those who like to take a lot of care of their houseplants and water them a lot, but it can be an ideal plant for those who set plants and just forget. They should just have a sunny window to place this plant.

Agave schidigera is not seriously affected by diseases, although agave weevil, slugs and snails can cause problems. If soil is poorly drained or overly moist root rot may occur.

Agave schidigera needs very little, but regular watering i.e. when the soil is completely dry and if the climate is dry.  After propagation, you should water it profusely once in 4 days and after that you should slowly reduce watering to once a week after a month and even less after that. Early morning overhead watering in the winter will damage the plant. Suitable adjustments will be needed based on how much rainfall and humidity is in your area.

Winter is the dormancy period for Agave schidigera. If you plant them outdoors, you’ll have to bring them indoors in the winter to protect them from frost.

Agave schidigera can derive sufficient nutrition from the soil even without fertilizers, hence you need not fertilize it during its growth period. At the most, you can apply a balanced and diluted fertilizer around once a year. Minimal fertilization will also help retain the slow growth of Agave schidigera and prevent it from blooming too soon so the plant can live longer.

Agave schidigera rarely suckers. Propagation is mainly done with seeds. fresh seeds readily germinate.

This slow-growing plant rarely needs repotting. If required, you should move growing plants as soon as they outgrow (which will take a very long time) the containers during the spring. In fact, it’s better to handle this plant as little as possible, because it doesn’t like to be disturbed. The new container should be 1-2 inches larger in diameter than the previous one. However, you should be careful about not burying the rosette while repotting and also not covering the stem with the substrate. Instead you can use pebbles to allow quick-drying near the roots and stem. This will allow continuous supply of oxygen. The key is not burying the plant’s neck and keep it slightly above the ground. Deep planting will cause the plant to rot.

Agave schidigera is used in making tequila and also soap, rope, food and other objects which are made from its fibers and pulp.