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Agave victoriae-reginae (Queen Victoria agave, royal agave)
Agave victoriae-reginae is a small species of succulent flowering perennial plant, noted for its streaks of white on sculptured geometrical leaves, and popular as an ornamental.
This agave is highly variable in form, but in general the rosettes are small and compact, growing to 0.5m, composed of short, rigid, thick leaves that are green with a pattern of distinctive white markings. The markings are generally along leaf keels or margins, giving a sort of polyhedral appearance. Marginal teeth are usually lacking, while the terminus of the leaf may include 1 to 3 spines, each 1.5–3 cm in length. Cream coloured flowers are borne in erect racemes up to 4m in length.
A. victoriae-reginae is found across the Chihuahuan Desert, with about a half-dozen subspecies named. The situation is complicated by hybrids with a number of other agave species.
A. Victoria-reginae is a very slow growing but tough and beautiful Agave. It is consider the to be one of the most beautiful and desirable species. Forms individual slow growing dense rosettes up to 45 cm in diameter (but usually rarely grows taller than 22 cm), most populations are solitary, but some offset heavily (forma caespitosa).
Leaves: Short,15-20 cm long and up to 3 cm broad, rigid and thick, trigonous, dark green, and beautifully marked with brilliant white-margins (The distinct longitudinal white markings are unique, slightly raised, like mini-variegation bordering each leaf) They are toothless, with only a short black, terminal spine. Leaves grow close together and are arranged in globose regular rosettes.
Flower: The inflorescence takes the form of a spike, from 2 to 4 metres high, containing many paired flowers of various colours, often with shades of purple red.
Blooming season: Summer. As with all types of Agave it have a long life cycle and sets flowers after approximately 20 to 30 years of vegetative growth, and the effort to produce the flowers exhausts the plant which dies within a short time.
Traditional uses: These plants were discovered by the Spaniards in the 17th century where the local Indians used them for fibres, food and to make an alcoholic drink like Tequila. The fibres were used to make clothing and ropes. Most of the plant was used for food, raw and cooked. Flowering stems and flowers are edible and were roasted or boiled.
Additional comments: Queen Victoria agave is a highly desirable, very small desert agave for accentuating small 'desert theme' landscape spaces where visual detail is desired. It is not for large expansive landscape spaces.
