Agave nickelsiae
Agave nickelsiae is the new…we mean old name for the North American native, Agave ferdinandi-regis (yes, ferdinandi is spelled correctly). Agave nickelsiae is often lumped by herbarium taxonomists (people who study dead plants) with Agave victoriae-reginae, but Agave nickelsiae can be easily distinguished by more glaucous foliage, larger leaves, and larger terminal black spines. Each tight, slow-growing clump will reach 10″ tall x 18″ wide. We’ll let the taxonomists fight the name battle while we enjoy the plants in our garden. Under favorable cultivation conditions, Agave nickelsiae should flower in 12-15 years with a solitary, upright, 12′ stalk of hummingbird-attracting flowers. In climates with cold wet winters, it is essential to keep the plants dry when temperatures drop below 20 degrees F.
