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| Category: Succulent |
| Family: Agavaceae (Agaves) |
| Origin: Mexico (North America) |
| Evergreen: Yes |
| Flower Color: Green |
| Bloomtime: Infrequent |
| Synonyms: [A. 'Ruth Bancroft', Hort., 'Sharkskin Shoes'] |
| Parentage: (A. asperrima x A. ferdinandi-regis) |
| Height: 2-3 feet |
| Width: 3-4 feet |
| Exposure: Full Sun |
| Drought Tolerant: Yes |
| Deer Tolerant: Yes |
| Irrigation (H2O Info): Low Water Needs |
| Winter Hardiness: 20-25° F |
| May be Poisonous (More Info): Yes |
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Agave 'Sharkskin' (Sharkskin Agave) - This structural succulent plant grows to 3 feet tall with evenly spaced thick triangular dark gray-green leaves that have smooth margins and prominent sturdy terminal spines. Plant suckers to produce colonies of this beautiful plant. Plant in full sun. Little irrigation required. The first Shark Skin Agave we grew came from the Huntington Botanic Garden but this one came from the Ruth Bancropft Garden. They are both originally from a population of a naturally occurring hybrids of the ferdinandi-regis form of Agave victoriae-reginae (these two plants, once considered separate species have more recently been synonymized) crossed with of subspecies of Agave scabra, a plant that now considered to be a subspecies of Agave asperrima. The common name Shark Skin was applied due to this plant's texture and color - some use this common name as a cultivar name (which is less of a mouthful than Agave x ferdinandi-regis x scabra). More about this plants origins can be found on our Agave Sharkskin Page. Another name that is sometimes applied to this plant is Agave 'Ruth Bancroft'. Although some of the plants in cultivation may have been distributed by this very fine botanic garden in Walnut Creek, CA, this name is confusing and not supported by Ruth Bancroft Garden Plant Curator Brian Kemble. Plants from the Ruth Bancroft Garden were supplied to a tissue culture lab by Yucca Do nursery and to keep separate from the plants from the Huntington Botanic Garden, which were tissue cultured originally by Rancho Tissue Technologies, are now being called called 'Sharkskin Shoes'. We have grown plants originating from both of these gardens side by side and have found little if any differences between these two plants once the plants mature.
The description above is based on our research and observations of this plant growing in our nursery and in our own and other Santa Barbara gardens. We would appreciate hearing from anyone who has additional information or disagrees with what we have written.
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