Santa Cruz Striped Agave Care

Agave parviflora is one of the smallest species of Agave composed of a small lovely, symmetrical rosette, 10 to 25 cm high, 15 to 20 cm broad and single or sparsely suckering. They live only 15 years or so, but generally produce offsets freely in cultivation.Leaves: 6 to 20 cm long and 0.8 to 2 cm wide, thin, sharp, very stiff ,dark green with a waxy coating and with striking white markings, (bud printing) on on both surfaces and leaf margins. Leaf margins are smooth with conspicuous white , curling 'hairs' that peel off with minute teeth near the leaf base.Flowers: Pale yellow or cream-colored along a green to reddish stem 1-2,5 m tall, in clusters of 1-4 on very short branches, small, only 14 to 27 mm long (the smallest of the genus). The inflorescence in upper half of stalk is spicate.Blooming season: Spring. Flowering between the ages of 10-15 years.Fruits: Small ovoid capsules 6-10 mm in diameter.Seeds: Half-round and wedge-shaped. In size, seeds are 3 mm long on the thin edge, 2.5 mm long on the thick side.Remarks: The species suggest a smaller version of A. toumeyana var. bella with less acuminate leaves and smaller flowers.