Plant Library

Other Names:  Whale's Tongue Century Plant

Description:

An appealing variety producing rosettes of wide, rounded, powder blue foliage with scalloped wavy edges; generally smaller when grown in containers; infrequent flower spike soars upward, bearing yellow-green blooms; a great accent planting

Ornamental Features

Vanzie Whale's Tongue Agave features bold spikes of buttery yellow cup-shaped flowers with chartreuse overtones rising above the foliage in mid summer. It has attractive powder blue foliage with hints of grayish green. The large succulent pointy leaves are highly ornamental and remain powder blue throughout the winter.

Landscape Attributes

Vanzie Whale's Tongue Agave is a multi-stemmed evergreen shrub with a more or less rounded form. Its strikingly bold and coarse texture can be very effective in a balanced landscape composition.

This shrub will require occasional maintenance and upkeep, and usually looks its best without pruning, although it will tolerate pruning. Deer don't particularly care for this plant and will usually leave it alone in favor of tastier treats. Gardeners should be aware of the following characteristic(s) that may warrant special consideration;

• Suckering
• Spiny

Vanzie Whale's Tongue Agave is recommended for the following landscape applications;

• Accent
• General Garden Use
• Container Planting

Planting & Growing

Vanzie Whale's Tongue Agave will grow to be about 3 feet tall at maturity extending to 14 feet tall with the flowers, with a spread of 5 feet. It tends to fill out right to the ground and therefore doesn't necessarily require facer plants in front. It grows at a fast rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for approximately 10 years.

This shrub should only be grown in full sunlight. It prefers dry to average moisture levels with very well-drained soil, and will often die in standing water. It is considered to be drought-tolerant, and thus makes an ideal choice for a low-water garden or xeriscape application. It is not particular as to soil pH, but grows best in poor soils. It is highly tolerant of urban pollution and will even thrive in inner city environments. This is a selection of a native North American species. It can be propagated by multiplication of the underground bulbs; however, as a cultivated variety, be aware that it may be subject to certain restrictions or prohibitions on propagation.

Vanzie Whale's Tongue Agave makes a fine choice for the outdoor landscape, but it is also well-suited for use in outdoor pots and containers. Because of its height, it is often used as a 'thriller' in the 'spiller-thriller-filler' container combination; plant it near the center of the pot, surrounded by smaller plants and those that spill over the edges. It is even sizeable enough that it can be grown alone in a suitable container. Note that when grown in a container, it may not perform exactly as indicated on the tag - this is to be expected. Also note that when growing plants in outdoor containers and baskets, they may require more frequent waterings than they would in the yard or garden.