Better known as the Whales Tongue Agave or the Whales Tongue Century Plant, the Ovatifolia agave species is an evergreen succulent, taking centre stage in many gardens. Its unique shape and blue-grey leaves give it a distinct, marine-like appearance, earning it its common name "Whale's Tongue."

The Cactus Vision team loves using this plant in large garden beds and planters. We're not opposed to potting this agave species if the pot is large enough; however, you may need to assess repotting this huge grower as it can grow up to 1.8 meters in diameter over a decade. We favour this agave's solitary structure, as some of the minimal garden designs we create suit agaves that are not prone to clustering, for a clean and simple aesthetic.

Many of our Canberra and inland customers appreciate the Whales Tongue agave, as this is a frost tolerant exotic plant, which is an uncommon characteristic for the agave genus. This deer-resistant and virtually disease-free hardy agave features thick skin and soft blue teething leaves therefore wouldn’t be best near high-traffic areas. In terms of bugs, watch out for scale.

Like many agaves, this species only flowers once in a lifetime; produces seeds, and then dies. You'll be taken aback by the reach of this agave's 4-meter-long flowering spike. Expect these plants to live over 10 years and don't be too quick to remove this agave when it flowers, as some flower for many months before passing