Furcraea quicheensis

Elegant blue rosettes, sometimes branched, on stout trunks. Glossy green flowers on tall spires. Doesn’t die after blooming as other Furcraea do. A rare addition to the California garden.
height 5–7ft
width 6–8ft
tolerates Drought, Heat, Pots
water
needs		 Low – Moderate
water
info		 While this plant is drought tolerant it receives consistent, though intermittent, rains where it grows in habitat from Honduras, through Guatemala and into Chiapas in Southern Mexico. Being very rare in cultivation it is unkown how drought tolerant it is in a garden setting, but typical wet to dry succulent watering is recommended.
hardy
to		 23F
exposure Part Shade – Full Sun
indoor
outdoor		 Outdoor
drainage In Ground: Cactus Mix, In Pots: Cactus Mix, Tolerates Sandy Soil
fertilizing All Purpose
origin Central America
california
native		 No
sunset
zones		 13–H2

Sunset Zones Map

Outdoor Exposure Guide

OUTDOOR EXPOSURE GUIDE

Full Sun
Six or more hours of sun beams directly landing on the plant's leaves.

Part Shade
Three to five hours of sun beams directly landing on the plant's leaves.

Part Sun
One to two hours of sun beams directly landing on the plants leaves.

Full Shade
The plant is never fully lit by sun beams, but is in a bright spot or has dappled sunbeams playing over the leaves throughout the day.

Deep Shade
The plant never has dappled light on the leaves, and is in a place that feels dim, even on a nice sunny day.

SUNSET ZONES MAP

Growing Notes

Gradually the oldest leaves will shrivel and create a beard. Don’t worry if the older leaves are browning, as this is the natural growth pattern of your furcraea. In nature these beards burn off, leaving a blackened trunk. The leaves can be left, or the oldest ones can be pruned off to leave a textured trunk. Pruning older leaves is easiest while they are still supple and succulent.

Special Interest

The branching nature of this plant is unique within furcraea, which are typically single headed. This plant also reblooms, unlike other furcraea, which are monocarpic and die off after blooming. That said, when a head that blooms that individual head will die off, followed by replacement heads from below.

Many furcraea create hundreds of bulbils on their flower spikes, but this one only produces seed, one reason why it is less common in cultivation.

Often confused with Furcraea parmentieri in the nursery trade, but is distinguished as being more glaucus (frosty blue), branched (when present), having greener glabrous (smooth) flowers and also not having bulbils after a bloom.