(Lipstick Basket Vine, Lipstick Plant)

Vibrant lipstick-red flowers adorn the sprawling stems of this tree-dweller ("epiphyte") from moist forests of Malaysia. In nature it grows in trunk crotches and other arboreal niches where leaf litter accumulates.

Pairs of glossy deep green leaves crowd the long, lax stems of this evergreen perennial. They may blush burgundy-purple in relatively hot, sunny sites. Pairs of dark red to nearly black buds develop at the branch tips, opening into tubular, hairy, vivid red blooms with five lobes,...

(Queensland Kauri)

Among the largest and oldest trees in the world, Queensland kauri's lance-shaped leaves, colrful flaking bark and massive trunk and canopy make it among the most magnificent trees for frost-free landscapes. A cone-bearing evergreen tree that is slow-growing, it is native to the drier rainforests of eastern Queensland in northeastern Australia. The whorling, horizontal branches become much more upward and spreading with age. Its tan, orange and light gray bark is speckled, shedding in large flakes.

The...

(Caribbean Agave, Narrowleaf Agave, Narrowleaf Century Plant)

This is one of the most architectural agaves for the landscape due to its striking rosettes of narrow leaves with fierce black spines. Narrowleaf agave is a long-lived evergreen perennial native from Sonora, Mexico southward to Costa Rica. In the wild it is found in a wide range of arid environments, so it is widely adapted to varying soils and exposures. Like other century plants, it only blooms at the end of its life span, so it is grown as a foliage plant. The species came into cultivation very...

(Narrowleaf Agave, Narrowleaf Century Plant, Variegated Caribbean Agave, Variegated Narrowleaf Century Plant)

This is one of the most beautiful variegated agaves. Its striking rosettes of narrow leaves are soft seagreen edged in cream.

Narrowleaf agave is a long-lived evergreen perennial native from Sonora, Mexico southward to Costa Rica. In the wild it is found in a wide range of arid environments, so it is widely adapted to varying soils and exposures. Like other cenury plants, it only blooms at the end of its life span, so it is grown as a foliage plant. The species came into cultivation very early...

(Foxtail Agave, Smooth Century Plant)

Soft green leaves make this the most painless agave for gardens. This clump-forming native of Mexico inhabits high rocky cliffs where good soil drainage is assured. It has become a popular choice for mild coastal climates and dry inland valleys that do not receive much winter cold.

Smooth century plant forms neat rosettes of smooth bright green foliage. As the rosettes age the stems elongate and develop a trunk-like appearance. In time, the central rosette will produce numerous pups, or...

(Kara's Stripes Century Plant, Smooth Century Plant)

Soft green leaves make this the most painless agave for gardens. This clump-forming native of Mexico inhabits high rocky cliffs where good soil drainage is assured. It has become a popular choice for mild coastal climates and dry inland valleys that do not receive much winter cold.

Smooth century plant forms neat rosettes of smooth bright green foliage. As the rosettes age the stems elongate and develop a trunk-like appearance. In time, the central rosette will produce numerous pups, or...

(Nova Century Plant, Smooth Century Plant)

Soft green leaves make this the most painless agave for gardens. This clump-forming native of Mexico inhabits high rocky cliffs where good soil drainage is assured. It has become a popular choice for mild coastal climates and dry inland valleys that do not receive much winter cold.

Smooth century plant forms neat rosettes of smooth bright green foliage. As the rosettes age the stems elongate and develop a trunk-like appearance. In time, the central rosette will produce numerous pups, or...

(Blue Wave Agave, Century Plant)

The rippled, arching, shark-toothed leaves of this Mexican native set it apart from other agaves. Native to gypsum-rich hillside soils in Jalisco, Michoacan, and Guerrero, it is well suited for gardens with well-drained alkaline soil. The deeply serrated, upcurled edges of the fleshy, blue-green, evergreen leaves give the appearance of being cut by pinking shears. Occurring in single rosettes that make few offsets, the long narrow wavy-edged leaves curve down at their tips. Rarely produced, the flowers...

(Parry's Agave, Parry's Century Plant)

One of the hardier agave species, Parry's agave is a beautiful succulent that originates from the alpine regions of Arizona and New Mexico. It is a more compact agave that sports wide, succulent gray-green leaves with fine, sharp, serrated edges of black. Its neat, evergreen rosettes slowly develop offshoots, or pups, which can easily be removed and replanted elsewhere if desired.

In summer mature rosettes put forth tall, upright panicles of fragrant, creamy yellow flowers. These may be pink...

(New Mexico Century Plant, Parry's Agave)

The tight blue-hued rosettes of this compact Agave have unmatched symmetry and are great for smaller garden spaces. New Mexico century plant is native to the mountains and dry washes of Mexico and extends northward into the dry desert regions of Texas and New Mexico.

The wide fleshy leaves narrow towards the top and end with a sharp black tip. Most agaves produce offsets around their base but this one is reluctant to do so, making propagation time consuming and plants more expensive....