Tag Archive for: Agave ovatifolia

A Welcome Gift From an Agave and a Friend

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Whale's Tongue Agave

The appearance of a package in my mailbox always brightens my day.  Sometimes, it is the latest garden product that a company wants me to try out, or new plants to try out in my garden.  But, this small box contained three small items that I had long been waiting for.

Whale's Tongue Agave (Agave ovatifolia)

Whale’s Tongue Agave (Agave ovatifolia)

For those of you who have followed my blog for awhile, you know that agave are my favorite type of succulent.  I love the beauty of their fleshy leaves arranged in rosette patterns with their pointy tips and finely toothed edges.

Two Whale's Tongue Agave (Agave ovatifolia)

Two Whale’s Tongue Agave (Agave ovatifolia)

My friend and fellow blogger, Pam Penick, also knows how much I love agave.  So, when her whale’s tongue agave (named ‘Moby’, after the book Moby Dick) flowered earlier this year in her Austin, Texas garden, she kindly gifted me with three of Moby’s offspring.

Whale's Tongue Agave

The three baby agave, which arrived a week ago, came from an agave that is well known throughout the garden blogger community.  Pam’s agave was the focal point of her backyard and appeared in many of her blog posts.  

Whale's Tongue Agave

I must admit that I fell in love with whale’s tongue agave after seeing ‘Moby’.  The leaves of this agave has a unique shape with a concave dip that makes the leaves resemble the tongue of a whale.  I would often stop and take pictures whenever I saw one while working and began to incorporate into my landscape designs.

Three 'Moby' Juniors

Three ‘Moby’ Juniors

Pam began to chronicle the beginning of the end of Moby’s life as it began to flower and at the end, she harvested the tiny bulbils (agave babies) from the flowering stalk.  

I was so honored when she emailed me to tell me that she had reserved three little ‘Moby Juniors’ for me.  I’ve been anxiously awaiting their arrival and now they are finally here!

Three 'Moby' Juniors

Right now, they are re-hydrating for a day or two until I get organized and get them planted.  I have a few spots in mind for them in the garden.  While they can grow in full sun in Texas, whale’s tongue agave does best in filtered shade or morning sun in Arizona gardens.  I’ll probably plant them underneath the shade of my palo verde trees.

I am so grateful for this special gift of agave and look forward to seeing the beauty of three Moby Juniors grace my Arizona garden.

Beautiful Agave: How to Grow and Use It In Your Landscape

Drought Tolerant and Beautiful: Whale’s Tongue Agave

Agave are my favorite succulent of mine in my own garden and also finds itself a prominent addition to many of my landscape designs.

There is so much to love about agave, from the unique, rosette pattern of their succulent leaves to the dramatic flowering stalk that they send up toward the end of their lives.

whale tongue

whale’s tongue agave

While I have several species of agave, whale’s tongue is one of my favorites.

This agave first drew my attention when my friend and fellow blogger, Pam Penick, wrote about the one growing in her garden, where it takes center stage in her backyard.

Since then, I have seen several throughout the greater Phoenix landscape as well.  

whale tongue agave

There is so much to like about this agave including how its blue-green color adds great color contrast to the landscape.

whale tongue agave

I also happen to like the unique shape of its leaves, that really do resemble a whale’s tongue.

Do you think this lovely agave deserves a place in your landscape?

Learn more about how and where to plant this agave as well as what plants to pair it with for maximum impact in my latest Houzz plant profile.  

 

Have you ever seen this agave in the landscape?  What would you plant alongside it?

A Welcome Gift From an Agave and a Friend

10 Cold Hardy Succulents That Add Beauty to the Winter Landscape

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With the arrival of winter, some people resign themselves to a boring garden, devoid of interest until spring arrives with its warmer temperatures.

Thankfully, we don’t have to settle for ‘blah’ winter gardens if cold-hardy succulents have a spot to grow in the landscape, many of which can survive temps down to 0 and even -20 degrees F.

Yucca growing among boulders.

Yucca growing among boulders.

When the flowering plants are ‘sleeping’ through winter, succulents take center stage with their unique shapes and growing patterns.

10 Cold Hardy Succulents That Add Beauty to the Winter Landscape

Whale’s Tongue Agave (Agave ovatifolia)

While the cold temperatures may freeze back your favorite bougainvillea or lantana flowers, cold hardy succulents like these whale’s tongue agave steal the show with their beautifully shaped leaves.

Toothless Sotol (Dasylirion quadrangulatum)

Toothless Sotol (Dasylirion quadrangulatum)

During the warmer seasons, these succulents add texture and welcome structure to the garden, often serving as a backdrop to flowering shrubs and groundcovers.  But, when winter arrives, they get their turn to shine.

Want to learn more about cold hardy succulents, which will add beauty to your outdoor space, not just in winter, but year round?  I recently compiled a list of 10 succulents, for Houzz.com that would be a welcome addition in most landscapes.

Hopefully, you’ll find some of your old favorites and maybe a few new ones.

 
 

Great Landscape Design: Drought Tolerant and Beautiful!