Actual size and flowering may vary slightly based on season.
Mangave Moonglow
Mangave 'Moonglow' is a low, flat rosette of long, stiff, silvery blue-green leaves marked with large dark purple spots. It stays about 6 to 10 inches tall and spreads 16 to 24 inches, so it fits a patio pot or the front of a bed. The leaves stick straight out from the center for a wide, spiky look, but the tips are soft to the touch. It is a sister plant to Mangave 'Inkblot', from the same 'Bloodspot' cross.
Best for: patio pots, the front of a bed and low succulent plantings, spaced 16 to 20 inches apart. A flat, spiky mangave with silvery leaves and soft tips.
It stays 6 to 10 inches tall and spreads 16 to 24 inches. Pick a pot slightly wider than the rosette, with a drainage hole and fast-draining mix.
For a row or group at the front of a bed, space plants 16 to 20 inches apart, centre to centre. The Spacing tab lists the numbers.
'Moonglow' and 'Inkblot' come from the same cross. 'Moonglow' is flatter and more silvery, while 'Inkblot' is dark green and covered in red spots.
Soggy soil, most of all in winter, can rot it. Hot afternoon sun in summer can burn the leaves. In low light the purple spots fade.
- Plant to plant16-20 in apart
- Tight group16 in apart
Plant into dry soil and wait about 1 to 2 weeks before the first water, then water about every other week while nights stay above 60°F. Once rooted, soak it and let the soil dry. It takes more water than agaves and grows faster with it, but soggy soil rots it. Give little or no water in winter.
In the Valley, give it some shade from the hot afternoon sun in summer. Put light shade cloth over a new plant for its first few weeks, longer if planted in early summer.
It handles cold to about 15 to 20°F when the soil stays dry. Wet winter soil hurts it more than the cold, so do not water in winter. Cover it in a hard freeze.
It can bloom within a few years, and the rosette that blooms dies. Pups around the base carry the plant on. Twist or cut pups free and let them dry a few days before planting.
Feeding is optional, and if you feed, use a light succulent fertilizer in spring or early summer, never on a new plant and never in fall or winter. No pruning is needed, just remove dead leaves at the base.
Drainage test first. Dig the hole and fill it with water. If water is still sitting in the hole a day later, you likely hit caliche, clay or hard soil, so fix the drainage before planting. If it drains very fast, the soil is sandy. Standing water around roots is a common reason new plants fail.
Weed cloth. Cut it away from the planting hole and where the roots will spread. Remove any plastic sheeting completely, since it keeps water and air out of the soil.
Rock or decomposed granite with no soil underneath. Bring in soil close in texture to your native soil, mix it with the soil below, and build up enough depth for roots before planting.
If you can break through. Use a breaker bar, pick, or jackhammer. Dig through the caliche and break out the solid chunks. Backfill with the soil you dug out, with no compost or manure in the hole. Confirm drainage before planting.
If you cannot break through. Dig narrow holes through the hard layer beside the root ball, not under it, and refill them with the same soil, not gravel. If it still will not drain, plant on a low mound of the same soil.
Root ball. Check the outside edges for any roots circling around. Loosen or cut those so they grow outward. Do not break up the center of the root ball.
Depth. The top of the root ball should sit at or just slightly above the surrounding soil level. Planting too deep can lead to rot and kill the plant.
Drip emitters. At planting, put the emitters on the root ball, on different sides of the plant. After about 2 months, move them to the outer edge of the root ball. Over the first year, add emitters farther out toward the edge of the branches as roots grow. Once a plant is rooted, never water only at the trunk.
How big does Mangave 'Moonglow' get?
It stays low, about 6 to 10 inches tall, and spreads 16 to 24 inches wide. The leaves stick straight out, so it is much wider than it is tall.
How far apart should I plant Moonglow?
Space plants 16 to 20 inches apart, centre to centre. The Spacing tab shows the numbers.
Are the spines sharp?
The edges have tiny teeth, and the tips are soft to the touch. They are much less sharp than an agave's.
What is the difference between Moonglow and Inkblot?
They are sister plants from a cross of Mangave 'Bloodspot' and Manfreda 'Chocolate Chips'. 'Moonglow' is flatter, with silvery leaves and big purple spots. 'Inkblot' is dark green and covered in red spots.
Why are the spots fading?
The dark purple spots are strongest in bright sun. In low light or indoors they fade, and they come back after a couple of weeks of direct sun.
Does it need afternoon shade in Phoenix?
It colors best in full sun. In the Valley, some shade from the hot afternoon sun in summer helps keep the leaves from burning.
How often should I water it?
It needs little water once it is rooted. Water deeply, then let the soil dry. It handles more water than most succulents and grows faster with it, but it needs good drainage.
How cold hardy is Moonglow?
It is rated to about 15 to 20°F. Wet winter soil hurts it more than the cold, so keep it dry. Cover it with frost cloth on hard freeze nights.
When does Moonglow bloom, and does it die after?
It can bloom young, often within a few years. The rosette that blooms dies, but pups come up around the base and carry the plant on.
Can snout weevils get mangaves?
Yes. The agave snout weevil can attack mangaves too. Watch for wilting or wrinkled leaves and a plant that rocks loose. Good drainage and not overwatering help most.
Mangave Moonglow for sale in Arizona, delivered to you
Mangave 'Moonglow' is a low, flat mangave with stiff, silvery blue-green leaves and large dark purple spots. It shares its parents with Mangave 'Inkblot'. Below is what to expect in the Valley: size and spacing, sun, water, cold, blooming and pups.
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How far apart do you plant Mangave 'Moonglow'?
Plant it 16 to 20 inches apart, centre to centre. It spreads 16 to 24 inches wide and stays under about 10 inches tall.
Mangave 'Moonglow' vs 'Inkblot'
Both come from the same cross of Mangave 'Bloodspot' and Manfreda 'Chocolate Chips'. 'Moonglow' grows flatter, with stiff silvery leaves and large purple spots. 'Inkblot' arches more and is dark green with red spots.
Does Mangave 'Moonglow' need full sun in Arizona?
It shows its best color in full sun. In the Valley, some shade from the hot afternoon sun in summer helps keep the leaves from burning. Low light fades the spots.
Watering Mangave 'Moonglow' in the Valley
Once it is rooted, it needs little water. Water deeply, then let the soil dry out. More water in the warm months makes it grow faster, but it needs soil that drains.
Is Mangave 'Moonglow' cold hardy in Phoenix?
It is rated to about 15 to 20°F. Keep it dry in winter, since wet soil hurts more than the cold. Cover it on hard freeze nights and uncover it in the morning.
Does Mangave 'Moonglow' make pups?
Yes. Pups come up around the base, often around bloom time. Twist or cut them free with a clean knife, let them dry a few days out of the sun, then plant.
Planting a mangave in caliche soil
Mangaves need soil that drains. If you hit caliche, dig all the way through it so water can drain out of the hole. Water that sits on caliche can rot the roots.
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