Agave victoriae-reginae, the Queen Victoria agave or royal agave, is a small species of succulent flowering perennial plant, noted for its streaks of white on sculptured geometrical leaves, and popular as an ornamental.
Agave victoriae-reginae is a very slow growing but tough and beautiful Agave. It is consider the to be one of the most beautiful and desirable species. It is extremely variable with the very open black-edged form sporting a distinct name (King Ferdinand's agave, Agave ferdinandi-regis) and several forms that are the more common white-edged form. Several cultivars have been named with different patterns of white leaf markings or no white markings or white or yellow variegation. It is endemic to the arid lower elevations of the Sierra Madre Oriental Mountains in the state of Coahuila and south of Nuevo Leon in north-eastern Mexico.
The plant needs light shade to full sun exposure, but they prefer some afternoon shade during the hottest summer month to avoid being fried by sun.
The best soil for Queen century agave should be light, airy, sharply draining succulent soil. Include a great deal of grit in the soil mixture. A combination that is about 50% compost, potting soil or garden soil and 50% sharp sand, pumice, grit and/or gravel is ideal.
Feed only twice a year, once in April and once in July with a water-soluble potassium-rich fertilizer.
It should be kept rather dry in winter or dormant season with minimum temperatures above zero in order to obtain good results, but it will tolerate quite low temperatures (-10°C), particularly when dry. But in cold climates it is adviseable to cultivate these plants in pots in order to protect them during the winter in dry, fresh rooms.
