By Maureen Gilmer, Special to The Desert Sun

Angus is photogenic, both in close ups and wide shots. He’s sharp and crisp, standing tall despite adversity. In fact, when everyone else fades in the heat or the pressure of neglect, he is always the last one to succumb. This is the most resilient of all agaves that can be all things to all people in our gardens.

Agave angustifolia, aka “Angus” is a true die hard. He is known as the Caribbean agave because it is found in the islands as well as an enormous range through much of Mexico. It is believed that this agave was cultivated on Hispaniola when first encountered by Columbus. What makes this one so tough is its almost miraculous resistance to the agave snout weevil, which can decimate nearly all our agaves in a single season. Yet time after time this species survives and this makes it invaluable.

The weevil is a long-snout beetle that punctures the central column of packed leaves of agave plants. This introduces bacteria and her eggs at the same time. The bacteria begins spreading through the immature tissues making them more readily digestible to the hatching larvae. Larvae then invade the plant, consuming all the interior flesh down to the root crown, and from there they exit into the soil to pupate.

While the weevil’s favorite species are the large blue agaves, they rarely if ever seem to attack Angus. This agave was once commonly cultivated for fiber in places like South Africa before the introduction of the big sotol, Agave sisaliana, which produced finer textured fiber without sharply serrated leaves for painless harvest from plantations. Higher fiber content may explain Angus’ long term survival because strong fibers discourage weevils while fleshier agaves may prove more vulnerable. Or perhaps the female weevil simply knows that her young won’t survive the leaner fibrous leaves.

In terms of design, Angus is among the few agaves that produces a perfectly spherical form with excellent symmetry. It retains this shape a long time because the species is not prone to abundant offsets like popular Agave desmettiana. You can count on plants to retain their individual globose shape over time, which is an exceptional choice for spare modern landscapes.

This agave is typically striated, the bright green narrow leaves edged in creamy yellow. Such color variation is most attractive in back light of early morning or sunset when illumination makes them glow. Color may also be richer under more copious irrigation and part shade while in drier sun drenched gardens it takes on a more grayish cast.

Angus is a great plant for large terra cotta pots or glazed imported ceramic containers with a wide mouth. You can count on it looking just as good in the depths of summer as it does midwinter. However, be aware that is wickedly sharp on the tips and should be used for long range interest to avoid accidents. To make plants safer, diligently cut the last 1/8” off the very sharp tip of each sword shaped leaf. While the serrated leaves remain prickly, tips will not grow back making blunt ends much safer permanently.

The best part of this agave is that he’s the people’s agave available to all of us without charge. When older plants bolt and flower, blossoms are augmented by bulbils on the stalk. Each of these is a new individual plant; a clone of the parent. Simply pluck them from the stalk or gather those that fall. Preserve all the bumps at the base of each bulbil as these mature quickly into roots once inserted into moist potting soil or most desert sand. Simply keep an eye out for plants around your neighborhood in flower, then return to harvest bulbils that fall in the park, roadside, front landscapes or public domain.

Whether grown in full sun or shade, Angus is a cheap date that asks for little care or protection. He stands proud and always looks his best, even when everything else is scorched and the weevils take their toll. Angus reminds us that common plants are capable of bringing both beauty and resilience to our gardens, if we simply learn to view them in a whole new way.

(Photo: Maureen Gilmer/Special to The Desert Sun)

For more on this story go to: http://www.desertsun.com/story/life/home-garden/maureen-gilmer/2014/08/30/maureen-gilmer-desert-agave/14850741/