Landscape Lophantha Rio Grande Agave

QUICK SPECS OUTDOOR Zone 9b-11 PATIO Zone 4a-11 SOIL TYPE Cactus Mix % SUN 80-100% POT SIZE 5″ Deep INCLUDES One Agave ABOUT THIS AGAVE Lophantha Rio Grande Agave- Bright and beautiful this smaller sized agave matures to around 1.5 feet wide by 1 – 2 feet tall and is perfect for the indoor or patio gardener. Sensational green spear shaped leaves form a open rosette and may have mid-leaf stripes. Leaves are margined by silver-gray teeth and end in a pointed terminal spine. Fantastic in containers or southern rock gardens. These are very healthy Agaves with well established root systems. In a container, your new Lophantha Rio Grande will add rich feel to your porch or patio, in the ground it can reach it’s full potential in just a season or two when planted in a well drained, sandy cactus mix. Please note: Lower leaves are often trimmed prior to shipping to reduce transpiration and travel stress. The growth rate of Lophantha Rio Grande will vary greatly depending on season, soil type, sunlight, temperature and other factors. Always changing! AGAVE CARE Lophantha Rio Grande are very easy to grow drought tollerant Agaves that and seem to grow best when neglected. They add a wonderful accent to any desert garden or patio. In very cold zones a containerized Lophantha Rio Grande can be brought inside for the winter months.  Most will survive a very light frost and quickly return to normal in spring. In the northern end of their grow zone Lophantha Rio Grande Agaves should be brought indoors or protected during the winter months. When you receive your new Agave open your box carefully and water if dry. Please take your time when opening. Most foliage damage occurs when the box is ripped open in the excitement of receiving new plants. Many plants, especially succulents, are very fragile and leaves may snap off easily if not handled cautiously. CONTAINER SIZE Most gardeners don’t realize that Agaves grow very well in patio containers. Allow enough room for growth generally a 18″ to a 30″ diameter, 14″ deep container will suffice, however the smaller variety Agaves will do well in a small 6″ round pot. Remember the looser the roots, the taller and healthier your Agave will be. When the Agave becomes root bound its growth will slow. At that point it is time for a larger pot. SOIL Lophantha Rio Grande enjoy well drained, sandy cactus mix. Remember try to stay away from wet, mucky soils. FERTILIZER To help establish your new Lophantha Rio Grande, fertilize sparingly, biannually with a slow time release 15-5-10. Unfertilized they will tend to grow very slowly. WARNING – The heavy salts in cheaper fertilizers may damage the roots thus killing the Agave. GROW ZONE & LIGHT Best outdoors if grown in zone 9b-11, find your zone here. This Agave requires 85-100% sunlight. Depending on your location full sun is best. The patio zone is 4b-11 which means the potted Agave will flourish over the summer months in this zone but must be brought inside for the winter months. (avoid frost) BEFORE YOU PLANT OUTDOORS Here at Kens Nursery these Agaves are grown under 20-40% shade cloth. If you plant directly in full sun you may experience leaf burn. It is best to acclimate this Agave to its environment by keeping it outside and slowly moving it into a sunny area over a week or two to avoid stress before planting. WHAT IS THE SHIPPING SIZE All Agaves for sale will vary in size. In the spring, Agaves are often smaller than Agaves shipped in the fall. Most Agaves designated with a sku ending in -4, or -3 will arrive in a standard 4 inch or 2.75 inch growers pot respectively. Kens new, reusable, recyclable deep cells are 5 to 7 inches deep and 1 to 2.5 inches in diameter. Products growing in these cells are easy to transplant and allow for deeper, faster growth and are designated with a -5, or -7. (Note: The item sku number can be found just below the buy button.) The color and style of these pots may vary. If we are out of a particular size item, we may ship a larger size at no additional charge. You can see the various pot sizes and actual plants ready to ship. (click-here) Note: Before leaving, Agaves are inspected, watered, pruned if necessary to facilitate shipping. Your new Agave is then bagged to keep the soil moist, to ensure that the soil stays in the pot and not loose in the box. Then your Agave is tissue or kraft paper wrapped and secured in place with natural biodegradable peanuts. You will be pleased. You may want to buy Lophantha Rio Grande online now while they are in stock.