Furcraea Gigantea - Plant
Description for Furcraea Gigantea
Furcraea foetida is an evergreen perennial subshrub, stemless or with a short stem up to 1 m tall. The leaves are sword-shaped, 1 to 1.8 m long and 10 to 15 cm broad at their widest point, narrowing to 6 to 7 cm broad at the leaf base, and to a sharp spine tip at the apex; the margins are entire or with a few hooked spines. The flowers are greenish to creamy white, 4 cm long, and strongly scented; they are produced on a large inflorescence up to 7.5 m tall
Agave like plant with yellow and green variegated leaves. A spectacular agave like plant with yellow and green variegated leaves. Very structural and a focal point in the garden. In Zone 10 gardens it will grow to 6 wide, but in a pot it will remain in control. Can be used as a house plant in winter if kept on the dry side. Thrives in heat and humidity.
| Common name | Flower colours | Bloom time | Height | Difficulty |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Furcraea, Giant False Agave. | - | Summer | Up to 6 feet. | Easy to grow. |
Planting and care
Does well in containers as well as the ground. Plant can grow up to 250 cms across and 250 cms tall. Better the soil more the growth. Plants can grow in small containers and poor soil. You will get what you give! Can be planted singly, in groups or rows. Look good when left un-pruned or with the bottom leaves cut off. See photograph above of three plants whose bottom leaves have been trimmed.
| Sunlight | Soil | Water | Temperature | Fertilizer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sun, Part Shade | Average, Well-Drained, Rich | Low, Drought Tolerant | Can survive temperatures as low as -7 to -4 C. | Furcraea will take either a controlled-release fertilizer at the beginning of the season or weekly fertilization with a weak liquid solution. Mature Furcraea need a 20-20-20 fertilizer at 1by4 strength, while younger ones need one with less nitrogen. |
Caring for Furcraea Gigantea
- Growing F. foetida is as simple a matter as keeping its soil drained and making sure it receives an adequate amount of sunlight. These plants are drought resistant and need to be watered only infrequently in the wild, they often grow on rocks or cliffs and they prefer full sun. If you are growing them in pots rather than your garden, make sure the soil stays fairly dry and repot if necessary.
Because these grow fairly large, make sure to use a big enough pot to support its root system,the Furcraea foetidas roots can extend three to four feet outward. When repotting, make sure the soil is dry first, then remove the plant gently from its pot.
Knock away old soil and any dead roots before repotting the plant and filling it with potting soil, making sure to keep its roots widely spread.
After repotting, give the F. foetida about a week before watering again, to avoid rotting its roots.
Typical uses of Furcraea Gigantea
Special features:
Ornamental use: Good for Hedges and Borders Suitable for road median planting Suitable for avenue planting Salt or salinity tolerant Good on seaside
References
- http://www.indiaplants.com/plant-details.php?x=WAHjNUc3YeE=
- http://plantlust.com/plants/furcraea-gigantea-variegata/
- http://houseplants.about.com/od/indoor-plants/fl/Furcraea-foetidamdashGrowing-Mauritius-Hemp.htm
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