In 2009, within our “Fourth Dimension in Landscape” program, we introduced Agave victoria-reginae and Agave geminiflora as the Plants of the Month. For December 2009, we selected a relatively unfamiliar agave species in our country: the Swan-Neck Agave. At the beginning of 2010, we will again introduce a species with elegant and soft leaves, Agave desmettiana.

Agaves comprise approximately 250 species that occur naturally in Mexico, the United States, and Central American countries. The common characteristics of the family are their succulent (fleshy) leaves and the rosette-shaped arrangement of these leaves. Most agaves are monocarpic (they flower once in their lifetime and then die).

More than 125 Agave species are found in Mexico, and the species we will introduce here, Agave attenuata, is among the most elegant and soft-leaved of the agaves.

The name Swan-Neck Agave given to Agave attenuata derives from the resemblance of its flowering stalk to a swan’s neck. Its native range is central Mexico, where it grows at elevations of 1800–1950 m on rocky mountains. It is a perennial plant with a rosette form and succulent leaves. Each rosette consists of 15–35 leaves. The leaves, pale green or bluish green in color, are 30–60 cm long and 10–20 cm wide. The soft leaves broaden toward the center, and in some individuals, the leaf margins may have slight teeth. Although the leaf tips are pointed, they are not spiny as in other agaves.

The flowering stalk can reach up to 350 cm in length and bends downward from the upper section toward its own base; due to this form, it is likened to a swan’s neck or a fox’s tail. For this reason, it is also called the Fox-Tail Agave by Americans. The flowers are cream or yellow-green in color.

It is not frost-tolerant; it can withstand short periods of frost down to –3°C. Therefore, in our country it can be planted outdoors only in regions of the Aegean and Mediterranean coastal belt where microclimatic conditions are warm. Propagation is carried out by separating the offsets produced at the sides or by seed. Even in arid regions, weekly irrigation may be sufficient. Under direct sunlight, the leaves may sometimes turn slightly yellow, but they return to green with irrigation or reduced sun exposure.

In landscape design, Swan-Neck Agave can be used in groups or planted in rows along patio edges. It is used as a solitary plant or in small groups in rock gardens. Due to its elegance and the absence of spines at the leaf tips, it is a succulent species that should be especially preferred for landscaping in the relatively mild regions of our Aegean and Mediterranean zones.