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Furcraea foetida 'Mediopicta' - A close relative to the Agave, this usually trunkless succulent can reach a size of 6 or more feet tall with an 8 to 10 foot spread with green 4- to 6-foot-long wavy sword-shaped leaves that lack any spines. A decorative creamy band occurs down the middle of the leaf. The flower stalk reaching to 25 feet tall produces strongly scented greenish-white flowers attractive to bees. Flowers are followed by small plants that cover the inflorescence as the basal plant dies.
It performs best in full coastal sun or filtered light and watered infrequently. Some sources list this plant as hardy to USDA zone 9a (20-25° F) but we believe it would require protection in zones lower than 9b (20-25° F). The somewhat similar looking Furcraea selloa var marginata is slightly hardier.
We have long grown this plant from bulbils removed from plants flowering in the landscape. We thank Joe Stead at Orange Coast College for our last batch of these bulbils that he supplied after the plant flowered there in 2022.
The information about Furcraea foetida 'Mediopicta' that is displayed on this web page is based on research conducted in our nursery's horticultural library and from reliable online resources. We will also include observations made about this plant as it grows in our nursery gardens and other gardens that we have visited, as well how the crops have performed in containers in our nursery field. We also incorporate comments that we receive from others and welcome hearing from anyone with additional information, particularly if they share cultural information that aids others growing this plant.
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