By Sharon Cohoon, Sunset senior garden writer
Santa Barbara wholesale nursery San Marcos Growers already grows over one hundred different agaves. And every time I talk to him general manager Randy Baldwin insists the nursery is not going to add any more. But I notice a new one on their website. And who can blame Baldwin for falling for this beauty? This agave is a stunner.
This is Agave lophantha 'Quadricolor' which has a whole slew of other names, including A. univittata `Quadricolor' or 'Variegated', A. kerchovei 'Pectinata' and A.kerchovei `Goshiki Bandai'.
Its attraction, of course, is its striking leaf pattern. Some people see four colors in those stripes, but Randy thinks the fourth color comes from the plant's dark reddish teeth. They flush brighter red when the plant is grown in bright light.
This agave is nice and small -- one to two feet across -- which makes it a great size for a pot and tempting to grow if you live in a climate that would be a little marginal for it. (It is only hardy to about 22 degrees F.)
If San Marcos doesn't supply nurseries in your area, I see that the mail order nursery Plants Delight also carries this plant.
Love agaves? Check out our photo gallery of same.
