Although it can take decades for many types of agave to bloom, these succulents, which are similar to cacti, are very popular with many hobby gardeners. Finally, the leaves are green all year round and form an exotic-looking rosette of leaves.
Which agave is suitable as a houseplant?
An agave houseplant can be decorative and easy to care for. Suitable species for the windowsill are, for example, Agave stricta, Agave victoriae-reginae or Agave potatorum. Regular watering and occasional fertilizing help keep the plant he althy indoors.
Sensitivity to frost as a reason for culture in the house
While some agaves can survive certain temperatures outside, others are extremely sensitive to frost with their water-filled leaves. You can save yourself having to move the agaves between the house and the garden and grow this interesting and decorative plant permanently in the house. Since agaves originally grow in desert-like areas, they usually tolerate strong sunlight and sometimes extreme temperatures on the windowsill very well. However, the plants do better if they are kept a little cooler during the winter, when there is less daylight. The following rooms are well suited for overwintering pot-grown agaves due to the cooler temperatures:
- unheated attics
- bright basement rooms
- Stairwells
- Bedroom
- light-flooded garages
- unheated winter gardens
Choosing the right type of agave for the windowsill
If you receive the child of an agave as a cutting, it may seem inconspicuous at first. However, large agave species can become too big for the windowsill in just a few years. It is therefore better to choose a slower and more compact growing type of agave as a houseplant, for example:
- Agave stricta
- Agave victoriae-reginae
- Agave potato rum
Agave species with yellowish edges on the leaves are also particularly decorative.
Beware of injuries
When choosing an agave for the windowsill, you should also pay attention to the formation of spines on the leaves of the respective species. In an emergency, you can stick small pieces of cork (€22.00 on Amazon) onto the spines at the ends of the leaves. It is also possible to carefully remove the spines, but every cut on the agaves is associated with the risk of possible diseases and damage to the leaves.
Tip
While agaves are watered very little outdoors, more regular watering is necessary when grown as a houseplant. After all, the plant cannot use water from the morning dew that rolls off in the usual way. You can add some liquid fertilizer to the irrigation water about every two weeks during the summer season.
