Havard's Century Plant
Havard's century plant has proven to be a beautiful, cold-hardy garden plant at the Demonstration Garden despite being native to the warmer climate of west Texas.
It grows as a rosette of succulent, triangular leaves with toothed edges, each ending in a sharp spine. Each leaf is a soft blue-green color, which creates a nice contrast when placed close to lighter colored rocks or gravel.
This agave is very low-maintenance. Water it occasionally during summer and periodically remove debris that has collected at the base of the leaves with tongs. Since it doesn't lose its leaves in winter, it will create an architectural element in your landscape all year.
Once Havard's century plant reaches maturity after growing for 20-40 years, it will produce a large flowering stalk with yellow flowers. After it flowers, the individual plant will die.
Havard's Century Plant
Havard's century plant has proven to be a beautiful, cold-hardy garden plant at the Demonstration Garden despite being native to the warmer climate of west Texas.
It grows as a rosette of succulent, triangular leaves with toothed edges, each ending in a sharp spine. Each leaf is a soft blue-green color, which creates a nice contrast when placed close to lighter colored rocks or gravel.
This agave is very low-maintenance. Water it occasionally during summer and periodically remove debris that has collected at the base of the leaves with tongs. Since it doesn't lose its leaves in winter, it will create an architectural element in your landscape all year.
Once Havard's century plant reaches maturity after growing for 20-40 years, it will produce a large flowering stalk with yellow flowers. After it flowers, the individual plant will die.
Plant details
Botanic Name
Agave havardiana
Pronunciation
uh-GAV-ay huh-VARD-ee-an-uh
Mature Height
18-36 in.
Mature Spread
18-36 in.
Water usage
One Droplet: Water twice per month or less, once established.
Two Droplets: Water about once per week, once established.
Three Droplets: Water about twice per week, once established.
Flower Color
yellow
Bloom time
blooms once upon maturity (20-40 years), then dies
Natural Habitat
West Texas
Light Requirements
sun
Cold Hardiness
USDA zones 5-10
Elevation Limit
unknown
Performance
This plant has been very low-maintenance and resilient to snow and hail. It's been once of the best-performing agaves at the Demonstration Garden.
Maintenance
New rosettes will appear within a foot of the original plant occasionally. Remove these by digging them up to make sure the original plant has plenty of space. Remove debris that has collected at the base of the leaves with tongs to prevent moist areas that can lead to decay.