Actual size and flowering may vary slightly based on season.
Variegated Queen Victoria
Variegated Queen Victoria is the striped, collector's form of Queen Victoria Agave. Its thick green leaves carry yellow to cream bands along the edges, on top of the white lines the species is known for. It grows very slowly to about 1 to 1.5 feet tall, so it suits pots, planters and small beds. Give it morning sun, shade in the afternoon and very little water.
Best for: a pot on a patio that gets afternoon shade, an east-facing bed by the entry, or a small planter where the striped leaves are seen up close.
It grows so slowly that it can stay in the same pot for years. Keep the pot on a patio or porch that gets shade after midday in summer.
An east-facing bed, or a spot in light shade from a tree, suits it best. Afternoon shade protects the pale leaf edges from scorching in summer.
It reaches about 1 to 1.5 feet tall and up to 2 feet wide, so it does not outgrow a small bed or raised planter. Leave 2 to 3 feet between plants.
Hot afternoon sun can scorch the pale bands on the leaves. Soil that stays wet can rot it. Each leaf ends in a sharp tip, so keep it back from walks.
- Tight group2 ft apart
- Looser group3 ft apart
Set it in dry soil and skip water for about a week or two in warm weather, longer when it is cool. Then give it water about every other week while nights stay warm.
Once rooted, water deeply about every 2 weeks in summer, and every 3 to 4 weeks in spring and fall. Keep it dry in winter, since cold, wet soil is harder on it than cold air.
Give it morning sun and shade from the hot afternoon sun in summer. A new plant can also go under light shade cloth for its first few weeks.
It is rated down to about 14°F. On hard freeze nights, drape frost cloth or a sheet all the way to the ground, not plastic, and uncover it in the morning. Move potted plants next to the house.
Most plants stay a single rosette, but some make a few pups at the base. Dig those out with their roots to replant.
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.
What is the difference between Variegated and regular Queen Victoria Agave?
Both have the same tight, round rosette with white lines on the leaves. The variegated form adds yellow to cream bands along the leaf edges and wants more shade from the afternoon sun.
Does Variegated Queen Victoria need shade in Phoenix?
Yes, give it morning sun and shade in the afternoon, most of all in summer. The pale leaf bands scorch more easily in hot afternoon sun.
How big does Variegated Queen Victoria get?
It grows about 1 to 1.5 feet tall and 1 to 2 feet wide and keeps a dense, round shape the whole time.
How fast does Variegated Queen Victoria grow?
It grows very slowly, and a plant can stay close to the size you buy for years. Buy the size you want to see now, and keep it in a pot if you like to move it around.
How often should I water Variegated Queen Victoria?
Water deeply, then let the soil dry out. Once rooted, that is about every 2 weeks in summer and every 3 to 4 weeks in spring and fall. Keep it dry in winter.
How cold can Variegated Queen Victoria take?
It is listed as cold hardy to about 14°F. On hard freeze nights, cover it with frost cloth that reaches the ground, and take it off in the morning. Move potted plants next to the house.
Does Variegated Queen Victoria make pups?
Over time it can make pups around the base of the mother plant. You can remove them and plant them on their own.
Does Variegated Queen Victoria bloom?
It blooms once, at the end of a long life, and then that rosette dies. The stalk can reach 10 to 16 feet with yellow to greenish-yellow flowers.
Does Variegated Queen Victoria have spines?
The leaf edges are smooth, and each leaf ends in a short, sharp, dark tip. Set it back from walks and seating, or snip off the tips.
Can I grow Variegated Queen Victoria in a pot?
Yes, its slow growth makes it a good pot plant. Use fast-draining soil and a pot with a drainage hole. Pots need water more often than plants in the ground.
Is Variegated Queen Victoria poisonous to pets?
It is mildly poisonous if chewed. The sap can irritate a pet's mouth and skin, and the leaf tips can poke. Keep pets from chewing on it.
Variegated Queen Victoria for sale in Arizona, delivered to you
Variegated Queen Victoria has the same tight, round rosette as the green Queen Victoria Agave, with yellow to cream bands down each leaf edge. This page covers size, the shade it wants, water, cold, pups and blooming in an Arizona yard or pot.
Sourced from trusted Arizona growers and delivered directly to your door, job site, or property. We deliver across the Valley and to nearby towns, and quote delivery anywhere else in Arizona.
What is Variegated Queen Victoria Agave?
It is a striped form of Queen Victoria Agave, a small agave from northeastern Mexico. The leaves are green with white lines, plus yellow to cream bands along the edges. It grows slowly and is often kept as a pot plant.
Does Variegated Queen Victoria need shade in Phoenix?
Give it morning sun and afternoon shade. The pale leaf bands scorch more easily than the plain green form in hot afternoon sun. An east-facing bed or a porch pot works well.
How big does Variegated Queen Victoria get?
It grows about 1 to 1.5 feet tall and 1 to 2 feet wide, and it grows very slowly. For a small group, plant them about 2 to 3 feet apart, center to center.
How often do you water Variegated Queen Victoria in Arizona?
Once rooted, water deeply about every 2 weeks in summer and every 3 to 4 weeks in spring and fall. Let the soil dry out in between. Keep it dry in winter.
Variegated vs green Queen Victoria Agave
The shape, size and slow growth are the same. The variegated form has yellow to cream edges and wants shade from the afternoon sun. The green form takes more sun.
Is Variegated Queen Victoria cold hardy?
It is listed as cold hardy to about 14°F. On hard freeze nights, cover it with frost cloth down to the ground and uncover it in the morning. Potted plants can move next to the house.
Growing Variegated Queen Victoria in a pot
It is slow and small, which suits a pot for years. Use fast-draining soil and a pot with a drainage hole. Water when the soil is dry, and keep the pot out of hot afternoon sun.
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