Scientific: Agave x 'Blue Ember' (Synonym: Agave x 'Burnt Burgundy')
Common: blue ember agave
Family: Asparagaceae (subfamily Agavoideae)
Origin: Tissue culture hybrid, exact parentage unclear.
Taxonomic confusion: Expert southwest plant propagators have disparate opinions on whether the two Agave hybrids named 'Blue Ember' and 'Burnt Burgundy', though phenotypically similar in appearance, are genetically identical or unique. The selection 'Burnt Burgundy' is an Agave victoriae-reginae x Agave palmeri hybrid cross that was named by Greg Starr in 2002. The selection 'Blue Ember' is a tissue-cultured selection from Rancho Tissue Technologies that was named by Kelly Griffin.
Pronounciation: A-GA-ve BLUEW EM-ber
Hardiness zones:
Sunset 12-24
USDA 9-11
Landscape Use: This is a great small hybrid agave for desert gardens and patio containers, narrow planters, display gardens. It is used principally as a nice colorful, small accent or specimen agave.
Form & Character: Strong rosetting basal form, elegant and classy, landscape 'eye candy'.
Growth Habit: Evergreen, herbaceous perennial, monocarpic, slow, rosette to 2-feet height with 3-feet spread at maturity. Produces many basal off shoots (called 'ramets' or 'chupones').
Foliage/Texture: Rosettes of narrow, strap-shaped glaucous, blue-green leaves that have smooth burgundy red margins and sharp, stout terminal red spines; medium coarse texture.
Flowers & Fruits: Unknown as it hasn't been in the Phoenix landscape trade long enough to show reproductive characteristics, though as a hybrid selection it will most certainly be sterile.
Seasonal Color: None
Temperature: Injured below 20oF or above 117oF.
Light: Light, filtered shade to full sun.
Soil: Any soil type, but thrives best if soils are well-drained.
Watering: Only limited supplemental irrigation during warmer months is needed to keep plants looking healthy.
Pruning: None
Propagation: Tissue culture, division of basal offshoots.
Disease and Pests: None
Additional comments: 'Blue Ember' agave (or is it 'Burnt Burgundy') is a fantastic and colorful small succulent for those smaller 'up close and personal' landscape spaces. It is a relatively new addition to the Phoenix landscape palette and can be used as a landscape element much the same as the Agave hybrid selections 'Blue Glow', 'Blue Emperor', 'Lil Shark', or 'Royal Spine', but having subtly different textural and color characteristics.
