Agave Neomexicana

Agave neomexicana is a small to medium agave native to mountain regions at 1,200–2,400 m elevation in New Mexico and western Texas, USA. It is renowned as one of the most cold-hardy species in the entire genus, surviving temperatures below -20°C—making it one of the very few agaves suitable for in-ground planting in truly cold climates. The blue-gray leaves are broad and somewhat rigid, bearing dark marginal teeth at intervals and a long, sharp terminal spine. Mature rosettes are compact at 40–60 cm in diameter, suitable for both containers and landscape planting. Some taxonomists consider it a natural hybrid between A. parryi and A. gracilipes, but it is widely accepted as a distinct species. Indispensable in cold-hardy North American landscapes, it maintains a beautiful rosette even under snow cover.