Agave Species, Queen Victoria Agave, Queen Victoria Century Plant, Maguey

On May 30, 2016, Paula_chica from Canyon Lake, CA wrote:

My Queen Victoria has only been repotted twice since I've owned it. Very low maitenance. I've had it for over 10 years as a gift from a friend and we think it was at least 20 years old when we got it based on the size. Never had a flower but I've heard from others that the flower is a cluster of purple flowers. I wish I knew how to propogate it as everyone who has seen it has found it quite remarkable. I've only seen one other that was smaller than mine and the gentleman wouldn't part with it for anything less then $400.

On Mar 5, 2016, GrowInFlorida from North Miami Beach, FL wrote:

Can you make this plant non-monocarpic by clipping the buds before the blooms emerge? This plant is too beautiful to die...

On Mar 23, 2014, Mr_Monopoly from North Olmsted, OH (Zone 6b) wrote:

Just bought this plant from the Midwest Cactus and Succulent Society's Annual Show and Sale in Cleveland. Being a member myself who specializes in cacti, I was hesitant to buy it, but it looks promising.

On Sep 11, 2008, baiissatva from Dunedin,
New Zealand wrote:

Zone 9b Coastal Otago New Zealand. A stunning plant that has to be on my top 10 best ever list. Found a relatively large specimen in a discount homewares shop for $14, couldnt believe my luck, ran out of the carpark laughing insanely.

It has beautiful chalk white brushtroke markings over a faceted deep green leaf, and- beware- small but very evil black spines that will catch your nailbeds every time. I dont recommend falling onto a massed display of this plant.

I was reluctant to put it out into our wet winter, even potted, but it has survived the indoor-outdoor transition very well with little damage and no effect on its markings. At around 20cm across it has begun to produce very tiny offsets- I removed one rootless at around 2cm long and potted it on... read more; it is going well at time of writing, though took twice as long as my rootless aloe offsets to start rooting.
I have recently acquired a juvenile Ferdinand-Regis specimen which I have planted out in a bed- will be interesting to see the difference in form and progress. Its leaves are longer, more hollowed out and the white markings are different.

See some of our plants and gardenalia at The Blackthorn Orphans.com

On Aug 19, 2003, palmbob from Acton, CA (Zone 8b) wrote:

This is one of the more attractive Agaves, having wonderful white delinations where the leaves are angled. The effect is quite mesmerizing reminiscent of an Escher piece- a symmetical swirling of shapes in green and white. I have heard that some forms of this are NOT monocarpic, but that has not been my limited experience. It is a very slow grower and all the photos of this plant I uploaded are of very old individuals in botanic gardens in Southern California. It is an easy grow though.

There is a photo I have uploaded of a plant in Los Angeles done with its flowering episode, yet still looking as fit as ever.. maybe there are some plants, or some stages of development that are not monocarpic.