Furcraea

( fur - KREE - uh )

At-A-Glance Information

This genus is filled with species of succulent perennial plants that grow well in full sun (light shade in warm climates) and need moderate water. They are relatives of Agave, and are native to Mexico and South America. They produce large, strappy leaves and mature plants send up impressive flower spikes (up to 25 feet tall) that hold greenish-white bell-shaped powerfully fragrant blooms. Like Agave, these plants perish after blooming. Use these architectural plants as large-scale accents in xeriscape or drought-tolerant gardens.

Furcraea Species and Varietals

Furcraea is a genus in the plant family Asparagaceae and includes between 20 and 26 distinct species. These plants grow best in USDA hardiness zones 9a-11b or Sunset growing zones 13, 16-17, 19-24, H1 and H2. To find your zone, click here: Zone Map.

Furcraea foetida (Mauritius Hemp, False Agave, Giant Cabuya)
This species forms a stemless clump 5 feet tall and 8 feet wide and is native to the Caribbean, Central America, and northern regions of South America. Leaves are glossy and deep green with slightly wavy edges. Subspecies Furcraea foetida mediopicta features a central creamy-white stripe on each leaf. Flowers are strongly scented and greenish-white to creamy-yellow, held at the top of a massive flower spike that can reach up to 30 feet tall. This species is considered invasive in South Africa, Australia, Hawai'i, Brazil, and other tropical and subtropical oceanic islands.

Furcraea macdougalii (Mac Dougall's Century Plant, MacDougall's Giant Century Plant, Tree Furcraea, False Agave)
This species produces slender grey-green leaves that reach 7 feet long and are held upright, sometimes drooping towards their tips. Leaf margins are lined with teeth, and the plant eventually forms a trunk at its base that can reach up to 20 feet tall or more. Flowers are fragrant, pendulous and greenish-white, held on a spike that can reach up to 20 feet tall.

Furcraea selloa (Furcraea selloana) (Wild Sisal, Variegated False Agave, Variegated Sword Lily, Variegated Wild Sisal)
This plant forms clumps 6 feet wide and eventually grows a five foot tall trunk. Leaves are dark green and margins have brown, hooked teeth. Variety Furcraea selloa marginata (pictured) is a variegated form with a thin strip of cream-yellow along the edges. This species is highly invasive in South Africa and is a significant environmental weed in Australia.

Caring for furcraea

Furcraea plants do well when planted in full sun to partial shade. In areas with frost, make sure to choose a protected space that will not be subject to temperatures below 25 degrees Fahrenheit. In warm climates, they appreciate some late afternoon shade when temperatures are at their peak. Well-draining soil is essential for these plants; they thrive in substrate that is rocky, sandy, and poor to moderately fertile. If local soils are particularly poor in nutrients or do not drain well, make sure to amend the planting area with plenty of organic compost before installing. Soil should ideally have a pH of between 6.0 and 7.5 (slightly acidic to neutral). After planting, mulch around the base of the plant with organic mulching material to help retain soil moisture and suppress weed growth. Keep mulch away from the plant stems, as this can encourage an environment for root rot issues to take hold. Water regularly as the plant establishes a strong root system in its new home. At maturity, these plants are considered drought tolerant, preferring to have their soil dry out completely between waterings. Provide summertime water in extended periods of dry, hot weather.

Fertilize these plants yearly in early springtime with a dressing of organic compost. Remove mulch before applying, work the compost into the soil, and then water it in before replacing the mulch. Prune off any yellowing, dead, damaged, or diseased foliage as it appears. Otherwise, these plants do not need much in the way of ongoing care. Most species (all except for Furcraea quicheensis) are monocarpic, and will not flower except at the end of their lives, at which point the plant dies. They typically have a life span of between 7 and 20 years, though some can live for up to 3 decades before needing to be replaced. When they send out their flowering stalk, they commonly put out offsets at their base and bulbils on the stalk itself that can be replanted and cultivated, providing plants indefinitely for the landscape.

Caring for Furcraea in Containers
If growing these plants in pots, use a potting mix made for succulents. Furcraea are wonderful in the ground, but can also be grown in containers. Choose a container that is at least a few inches wider and deeper than the nursery pot or root ball. Ensure that the pot has adequate drainage holes on the bottom to allow for excess water to flow away. Fill with a well-draining potting mix amended with organic material and perlite, and top with a layer of mulch to suppress weed growth, maintain consistent soil temperatures, and to increase soil moisture retention. Water regularly as the plant establishes itself in its new home. Once established, waterings can be lessened. Furcraea plants grown in containers will need more frequent irrigation than those grown in the ground. As a general rule of thumb, water whenever the top few inches of soil feels dry to the touch. Prune to remove dead, damaged, or diseased foliage at any time during the growing season. Every few years, check the bottom of the pot to ensure that the plant is not outgrowing its root space. If roots are growing through the drainage holes in the bottom of the container, it is a good indication that it needs to be potted up; choose a slightly larger container and repot.

Propagation

Furcraea is best propagated through separating offsets from the parent plant. At the end of the life of most species in the genus, plants will send up a large flowering stalk that holds bulbils that can be harvested and planted elsewhere, as well. To propagate your Furcraea by division, follow the instructions below:

Propagating Furcraea by Division
The easiest way to propagate Furcraea plant is by removing basal offsets and replanting them. The offsets will sever easily with a garden knife (or in some cases can even be twisted off) when they are young, so make sure to catch them when they are small (about 4 inches tall). This is a good practice to engage in, even when you're not looking to propagate your plant, because it will discourage it from forming a colony in the landscape. To propagate your Furcraea by offset, you'll need a clean trowel and knife and a pot filled with gritty soil or with cactus/succulent potting mix. Once you've gathered your materials, follow these steps:

Loosen the soil around the bottom of your Furcraea plant where the offset has formed and cut it from the rest of the plant with a sharp garden knife. They can also in some cases simply be twisted off.
Plant the offset in your pot filled with potting mix and lightly moisten the soil, ensuring that adequate drainage is occurring. Place the container in an area that receives bright light and stays relatively warm.
Give it water every time the top inch or two of soil dry out, but don't saturate the soil. After a few weeks of this watering schedule, the plant should be ready to be planted outside in its permanent home. Then, follow the instructions in the care section to grow your offset into an adult plant.

Problems and Pests

Certain species are considered invasive in some regions; see the species descriptions above for more information. Check with local authorities before planting. Furcraea plants are susceptible to developing issues with the following pests and diseases in the landscape: