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Agave victoriae-reginae (Queen Victoria Agave) - A slow-growing and attractive small clump-forming agave to 1 foot tall by 1 1/2 feet wide with tight-fitting, tapered deep green leaves that are edged in white along the margins and end in a small terminal spine; the leaf margins are smooth and spineless. When the plant flowers, which only happens with considerable age, the unbranched spike can reach to 15 feet and bares densely packed reddish-purple flowers. After flowering this species usually does not offset and so will have to be replaced.
Plant in full sun or light shade where it requires little to no irrigation in coastal gardens and is cold hardy to at least 10 F°. This is a very attractive small agave that is great in the garden or in pots.
Agave victoriae-reginae is in the Marginatae selection of the genus and is found growing naturally in scattered locations in the Chihuahuan Desert from 4,000 to 5,00 feet in elevation. The type locality is near Saltillo, Coahuila along the road to Monterey. Another famous location is in Huasteca Canyon, just outside the city of Monterey, Mexico. The specific epithet given this plant by the English gardener and botanist Thomas Moore honors his Queen Victoria (Alexandrina Victoria), Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 1837 until her death in 1901. There are several named forms and hybrids involving this species. It is also known as the Royal Agave. We also grow the beautifully variegated variety Agave victoriae-reginae 'Albomarginata' that is often referred to as the White Rhino.
This information about Agave victoriae-reginae displayed is based on research conducted in our horticultural library and from reliable online resources. We also will relate observations made about it as it grows in our nursery gardens and other gardens we have visited, as well how the crops have performed in containers in our nursery field. We will also incorporate comments that we receive from others and we welcome hearing from anyone with additional information, particularly if they can share any cultural information that would aid others in growing it.
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