Mediopicta Alba Americana Agave

Light Needs

Full Sun

(At Least 6 Hours of Direct Sunlight)

Mature Height

3-4 Feet

Mature Spread

4-6 Feet

Growing Zones

8 to 11

Mediopicta Alba Americana Agave is a living accent piece for dry gardens and modern patios. It has blue-green leaf margins framing a creamy white central band, so the foliage looks clean and architectural even in a dry planting. It stays smaller than the standard century plant, usually reaching about 3 to 4 feet tall and 4 to 6 feet wide. We use this agave when a container, hillside, or xeric bed needs structure without the larger scale of plain green Agave americana.

This slow-growing evergreen succulent is native to Mexican agave lineage and is grown mainly for its bold variegated foliage. Yellow-green flowers may appear after a decade or more on a tall stalk, attracting hummingbirds before the main rosette finishes its life cycle. Offsets develop around the base and can be saved for replanting, which helps continue the planting after bloom. Use it as a specimen in gravel gardens, modern landscapes, dry slopes, and large patio containers, but keep it well away from walkways because the leaf tips and margins are sharp.

Mediopicta Alba Americana Agave Care

Plant Mediopicta Alba Americana Agave in full sun for the strongest color; however, light shade is helpful in extreme afternoon heat. It needs sharply drained sandy, gravelly, or succulent-style soil with a slightly acidic to neutral pH around 6.5 to 7.0. Avoid planting in heavy wet soil or low areas that hold winter moisture.

Water occasionally during the warm growing season, and let the soil dry thoroughly before watering again. From fall through early spring, provide little to no supplemental water unless the plant is in a container and the soil is completely dry. Fertilizer is optional, but a light spring application of cactus or succulent fertilizer can support container-grown plants.

Remove dead or damaged lower leaves with thick gloves, long sleeves, and eye protection. Do not use tools that spray sap, since agave sap can irritate skin and eyes. Watch for agave snout weevil damage, and protect young plants from prolonged cold when temperatures drop near 15 to 20°F.

Mediopicta Alba Americana Agave Spacing

Space Mediopicta Alba Americana Agave 5 to 6 feet from other plants and farther from paths, doors, and seating areas. Use a heavy 20-gallon or larger container with drainage holes and a gritty succulent mix for patio growing. Plant it with sea thrift, sedum, Russian sage, or African daisies in sunny low-water plantings where dry soil and open spacing suit the whole group.

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