Coues Century Plant (Agave)

Agave parryi ssp. couesii (Coues Century Plant) is native to the high deserts of the Southwest US. There, this unique subspecies grows gradually, slightly more compact in form than regular Agave parryi, and much more elegant. These long-lived specimens gradually produce pups, smaller agave plants around their bases. Once mature, the mother rosette will sacrifice itself, diverting all its available energy into producing an exceptionally tall stalk of hummingbird-attracting, nectar-rich yellow flowers, producing seeds, and finally dying. Its pups will typically fill in the space where the mother rosette had grown, keeping the plant around the garden for years to come. Agave parryi ssp. couesii is among the more cold-hardy of agave and its succulent, evergreen leaves make for superb winter interest. Can be grown Denver, CO (zone 6) if in a warm microclimate with exceptional drainage, like a south-facing crevice garden.