Queen Victoria Agave (Agave victoriae-reginae)

Queen Victoria Agave
Scientific Name: Agave victoriae-reginae T. Moore
Synonym: Agave ferdinand-regis, Agave consideranti, Agave nickelsii
Family: Agavaceae

Show Larger Picture Recommended Temperature Zone:
sunset: 10-13,15-17,21-30
USDA: 9-12

Frost Tolerance: Hardy in Phoenix to 12°F (-11°C)
Minimum Avg. Temperature: 50°F (10°C)
Heat Tolerance: Excellent
Sun Exposure: Full sun
Origin: Nuevo Leon, Chihuahua, Mexico (where it is endangered)
Growth Habits: Slow growing succulent rosettes to 18 inches in diameter (45 cm), most populations are solitary, but some offset heavily
Watering Needs: Infrequent water
Propagation: Seeds, or offsets if any

Named after the English queen Victoria, the Agave victoriae-reginae is a striking solitaire agave. Just beware of the sharp spine at the end of each leaf, and keep it removed from pathways. Several varieties are available in cultivation that offset heavily. The third photograph is a variegated cultivar.
Each leave has a sharp terminal spine that will get any inattentive finger in its proximity.

Queen Victoria Agave (Agave victoriae-reginae)

Cultural Practices:
The slow growth justifies the sometimes steep price of mature specimens. The Queen Victoria Agave can be kept as a house plant in winter but should be taken out in summer.
Some plants lose their white marking, and it seems that when this occurs, the markings never come back.

Blooming Habits:
This slow growing agave might take 40 years before blooming, the flower stalk is 10 to 15 feet with pale green to cream flowers. The plant dies after blooming.

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