14 Mangave Plants for Sunny Gardens
Mangave plants provide a Sunny garden with incredible beauty. And with little maintenance and watering needs. Perfect for warm, dry gardens. And for gardeners with limited time to garden.
Mangave plants are a newer native hybrid. These stunning plants are a cross pollination between the genus Manfreda and Agave. The Manfreda provides the Mangave with two of its outstanding qualities. A better growth rate. And the dramatic foliage patterns. And from the Agave plant, the Mangave acquired two qualities. The growth habit as well as the Agave’s refined appearance. Simply the best of both native American plants.
These beautiful Mangave plants are from the talented team at Walters Gardens. They have found that one of the Mangave’s best characteristics is that it has a faster growth rate than shrubs.
More About Mangave
Both the Agave and Manfreda plants are native American alpine and desert plants. Because of this, Mangave does well in dry climates. They grow faster than succulents. Provide dramatic color to the garden landscape. Can be grown in containers. Or planted alone as a specimen plant.
Mangave Growing Conditions
Mangave is typically hardy in zones 9 to 10. However, a few Mangave plants may be hardy in zones 7 or 8. Grow Mangave in areas that receive full Sun or natural light. Provide the plants with at least 6 or more hours of Sunlight. Lack of sunlight leads to the loss of the Mangave’s bright foliage colors and distinctive spotting.
Well-draining, dry to average soil conditions are a must. Plant Mangave in containers that are slightly larger than the width of the rosette. Use succulent or bark soil mix in the container.
Or plant in a landscape with 6 or more hours of Sunlight. Ground soil that is sandy or rocky is best for Mangaves. Amend soils that are not well-draining such as clay soil. Add either succulent or bark soil mixture into the clay soil. Mangaves dislike wet soils. So, it is important to have well-draining soil. Grow Mangave as a specimen plant or alongside with other succulents.
Once established, the Mangave is tolerant of drought conditions.
Fertilize Mangave with a succulent fertilizer. Fertilize the plants following the manufacturer’s instructions. Be careful not to over fertilize.
Mangave Overwintering
Bring Mangaves that are planted in containers indoors, if outdoor temperatures fall below 60 degrees. Mangave are best in temperatures of 60 degrees or higher. Place the plants where they can absorb a good amount of natural Sunlight, once indoors. Natural Sunlight provides the right conditions for the Mangave to maintain its striking foliage colors.
Indoors maintain plants slightly dry during the winter months. But avoid excessive dryness. Over the winter, if plants lose their spotting and distinctive coloration, place plants in direct Sunlight. After two weeks or more, the plants will regain its distinctive coloring.
Mangave Resistant
Mangave plants are resistant to both deer and rabbits. This is due to the Mangave’s thick leaves and the marginal or terminal spines. It is also unlikely to be afflicted by pests such as aphids. Aphids and other insects do not seem to bother the plants because of its thick leaves.
We’ve rounded up a list of 14 magnificent Mangave plants. Easy to grow and easy to maintain. Take a look and be sure to tell us what you think.
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Mayan Queen Mangave
Mayan Queen Mangave forms a wide rosette. The rosette is of thick, rubbery, silver-grey leaves over topped with heavy dark purple spotting. Leaf edges are scalloped with hard rubbery teeth. Grows in zones 9 to 11. Grows best in full Sun or 6+ hours of Sun. Reaches 12 to 15 inches tall. Spread is 22 to 24 inches wide or more. Deer and rabbit resistant. North American native. Grows in average and poor soil conditions. Low water needs. Slow grower. Once established, drought tolerant. Easy to grow and maintain. Use as a specimen plant or as a focal point. Ideal for patio and porch containers. Grow in garden beds, borders, or in a rock garden.
Introduced in 2017 by the talented team of Hans Hansen at Walters Gardens.
2. Sponge Paint Mangave
Sponge Paint Mangave is a compact silver-gray rosette. The foliage is lightly peppered with red flecks. Sponge Paint Mangave has multiple shades of silver and grey. Grows in zones 9 to 11 in full Sun or 6+ hours of Sun. Reaches 4 to 6 inches tall with a spread of 12 to 14 inches wide. North American native. Grows in average and poor soil conditions. Low water needs. Deer and rabbit resistant. Slow grower. Easy to grow and maintain. Once established, drought tolerant. Grow in a fairy garden setting or container. Landscape as an accent to larger succulents. Use as a specimen plant or as a focal point.
3. Blazing Saddles Mangave
Blazing Saddles Mangave has a 15 inch wide rosette. Composed of olive-green leaves with large violet spots. The violet spots are more intense in the center. This gives the Blazing Saddles a red like appearance. Grows in zones 9 to 11 in part shade and part Sun to full Sun. Reaches 8 inches tall with a spread of 15 inches wide. Plant in a container or use as a specimen plant.
A Walters Gardens introduction in 2018. A hybrid Mangave evergreen plant.
4. Kaleidoscope Mangave
Kaleidoscope Mangave has long, lance-shaped deep green leaves. Leaves have creamy yellow margins with narrow band of light creamy green. Bright rosy red dots lightly cover the leaves. Margins are lined with a thin rosy red edge. Grows in zones 8 to 10 in full Sun. Tops out at 20 to 24 inches tall. Spread is 32 to 36 inches wide. Full sunlight draws the most intense leaf colors. Leaves form an arching foliage growth habit. Requires low to average water needs. Deer and rabbit resistant. Native North American plant. Ideal for container gardening or in a rock garden. Once established, tolerant of drought conditions.
5. Blue Dart Mangave
Blue Dart Mangave has a classic Agave appearance. Foliage is silvery blue color. The leaves form a symmetrical rosette of rigid leaves. Leaves are edged with dark brown margins and terminal spines. Grows in zones 9 to 11 in full Sun. Topping out at 12 to 16 inches tall. Spread is 18 to 22 inches wide. Deer and rabbit resistant. Perfect for growing in a container or in a rock garden. Once established, tolerant of drought conditions. Native North American plant.
6. Desert Dragon Mangave
Desert Dragon Mangave has thick, grey-green leaves. Each leaf is patterned with giant liver-colored spots. Grows in zones 9a to 11 in part shade and part Sun to full Sun. Reaches 5 inches tall with a 19 inch wide spread. A hybrid, evergreen plant.
7. Freckles and Speckles Mangave
Freckles and Speckles Mangave has leaves that are thick, fleshy, and pointed. Leaves are green with an overlay of medium-sized purple blotches. Leaf edges are hard rubbery hacksaw-like teeth. Freckles and Speckles Mangave grows in a tropical zone in part shade and part Sun to full Sun. Reaches 8 inches tall with a spread of 19 inches wide.
A Walters Gardens introduction in 2017. Breeding by Hans Hansen and his team. A hybrid Mangave evergreen plant.
8. Shadow Waltz Mangave
Shadow Waltz Mangave has long, narrow dark green leaves. A lighter central band appears on the leaves. The stiff leaves have soft marginal teeth. Grows in zones 9 to 11 in full Sun. Reaches 10 to 12 inches tall. Spread is 22 to 24 inches wide. Attractive foliage. Shadow Waltz forms a compact upright habit. Leaves arch from the plant. Deer and rabbit resistant. Native North American plant. Plant in a container or rock garden. Once established, tolerant of drought conditions. Striking color combinations.
9. Tooth Fairy Mangave
Tooth Fairy Mangave has long, pronounced spines in multiple colors. Colors range from cinnamon brown to yellow to orange. Blue green leaves reflect the array of colors more intensely. Tooth Fairy forms a singular rosette. Grows in zones 9 to 11 in full Sun. Tops out at 10 to 12 inches tall. Spread 16 to 18 inches wide. Native North American plant. Deer and rabbit resistant. Plant in containers or rock gardens. Attractive foliage. Once established, tolerant of drought conditions.
10. Man of Steel Mangave
Man of Steel Mangave has ¼ inch wide blue silvery-grey, rubbery leaves. The terminal spine is flexible and covered with tiny, burgundy, pin prick-sized spots. Grows in zones 9 to 11 in part shade and part Sun to full Sun. Topping out at 11 inches. Spread is 21 inches wide. Plant in containers.
11. Navajo Princess Mangave
Navajo Princess Mangave has rubbery green leaves with faint purple blotches. The leaves have a wide creamy white border for a striking appearance. The Navajo Princess forms a stunning rosette of rubbery leaves. Grows in zones 7b to 11 in part shade and part Sun to full Sun. Reaches 12 inches tall. Spread is 30 inches wide. Ideal for container gardening.
12. Purple People Eater Mangave
Purple People Eater Mangave has silver grey recurved leaves. Each leaf has a blush of purple. Leaves have small, red teeth on the edges. Grows in tropical zones in part shade and part Sun to full Sun. Reaches 14 inches tall. Spread of 2 feet wide. Gorgeous garden colors!
13. Moonglow Mangave
Moonglow Mangave has silvery blue-green leaves about 1 inch wide. The leaves take on an appearance of glowing with its dark purple spots. Margin spines form along the leave edges. Grows in zones 8 to 10 in full Sun. Reaches 8 to 10 inches in height. Moonglow has a spread of 16 to 20 inches wide. A North American native that has low water needs. Plant in a container or a rock garden. Deer and rabbit resistant. Once established, tolerant of drought conditions. Purple spots become more intense as plant is exposed to higher levels of Sunlight. Lovely addition to a Moonlight garden.
14. Red Wing Mangave
Red Wing Mangave has violet-red leaves with subtle green undertones. For the brightest red coloration, provide plenty of Sun to deepen the color intensity. Grows in zones 9a to 11 in part shade and part Sun to full Sun. Reaches 16 inches tall. Spread of 26 inches wide. Ideal for container gardening. Stunning red garden color.
Why Choose Mangave for your Garden?
Mangave plants offer high garden value. Once established, Mangave requires less care and maintenance. It is tolerant of drought conditions. And has been found to grow faster than a shrub does. Resistant to both deer and rabbits because of its thick leaves. More cost effective due to less maintenance and requires less watering. Delivers incredible dramatic colors to the garden. Why not Mangave your garden for lasting beauty?
Interested in gardening? If you found this helpful . . .
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If you try these bold, beautiful Mangave plants let us know how you make out. And if you have any questions, feel free to reach out to us. We always are ready to help you out. Thank you for stopping by.
Mary
