Agave americana 'Mediopicta Alba'
Agave americana 'Mediopicta Alba is a striking variegated cultivar of the century plant, Agave americana, prized for the broad, creamy-white central stripe that runs the length of each arching leaf. The pale midstripe is framed on either side by soft blue-grey leaf margins, giving mature rosettes a bold, luminous, two-tone architecture that stands out in any collection. Care follows the parent species, Agave americana, with a few adjustments noted below.
Description
'Mediopicta Alba' forms a symmetrical rosette of thick, succulent leaves that arch gracefully outward, each ending in a firm terminal spine and edged with widely spaced teeth. The defining feature is the central variegation: a wide band of near-white tissue down the middle of every leaf, bordered by the glaucous blue-grey typical of the species. Mediopicta refers to this "middle-painted" pattern, and alba to the white (rather than yellow) central stripe seen in the related cultivar 'Mediopicta Aurea'.
Because so much of each leaf lacks green pigment, the plant is somewhat less vigorous and generally stays smaller than the fully green species, which can become enormous. It remains a substantial, sculptural succulent, and like all century plants it is monocarpic — flowering only once, after many years, on a towering stalk, then dying while leaving offsets behind.
Cultivation
Grow 'Mediopicta Alba' as for the parent species, Agave americana. It wants bright light, a sharply draining, mostly mineral mix, and infrequent watering with a thorough dry-down between soakings. It tolerates only a few degrees of frost — and the variegated form is a little less cold-hardy than the fully green species — so in cold climates grow it in a container that can be moved under cover for winter.
A few notes specific to the variegate:
- Light — the reduced green tissue means it appreciates strong light to stay compact and well-coloured, but the pale central stripe can scorch under fierce, unshaded afternoon sun, especially on plants not yet acclimatised. Increase exposure gradually.
- Watering — variegated agaves are a little slower and more prone to rot than the green form, so err toward underwatering. See Watering and Repotting for general technique.
- Stability — the variegation is generally stable, but occasional all-green or all-white reversions can appear on offsets; all-white pups lack the chlorophyll to survive on their own.
Handle with care: the leaf tips are sharp, the sap can irritate skin, and the plant is toxic if chewed. Site it away from paths and out of reach of pets and children.
Propagation
Like the species, 'Mediopicta Alba' is increased vegetatively from the offsets ("pups") it produces around the base, which preserve the variegation true to type. Seed is not used, as seedlings would not reliably carry the pattern. Remove pups once they have a few roots of their own and pot them into a gritty mix. See Propagation - offsets for a full walkthrough.
See also
- Agave — the genus overview
- Agave americana — the parent species
- Soil and potting mix · Watering · Repotting · Propagation - offsets · Pests and diseases