Sunset Magazine has been a staple in my life for what seems like decades (probably because it has been decades). Granted, I haven’t been happy with the inexorable shift away from gardening towards lifestyle topics but I understand the pressures Sunset must be under to adapt and meet the needs of a changing demographic. Call it loyalty or habit, but I still read Sunset every month. Their garden- and plant-related articles are typically well written and equally well illustrated.
Perusing the November 2017 issue, I was excited to see a photo of agaves nestled in a bed of rosemary. Any blurb about agaves is a good thing in my bookâagaves need all the help they can get to raise their profile in the gardening world.
As I was reading the short article that goes with the photo, I began to laugh.
Combining agaves and rosemary sounds like a winning proposition to me. But doesn’t it seem funny to worry about the size of the rosemary (“18-inch mounds”) when Agave ovatifolia grows up to 5 ft. in height and 6 ft. in width (a fact that is not mentioned)?
For a reality check, take a look at Austin garden writer Pam Penick’s Agave ovatifolia named Moby here. And the planting shown in the Sunset photo features not one, but three of these behemoths!
Even I, who likes to cram plants together, wouldn’t plant three Agave ovatifolia just a few feet apart.
Verdict: Thumbs up for an attractive plant combo that is perfectly suited for our drought-plagued region. Thumbs down for not alerting readers to the ultimate size of this agave and the inevitable space issues that will ensue. While the rosemary won’t overwhelm a small bed, Agave ovatfolia definitely will!
Fix: Use a smaller agave like Agave parrasana, Agave guadalajarana or even Agave ‘Blue Glow’ instead.
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