{"product_id":"agave-sharkskin","title":"Agave ‘Sharkskin’","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePrice includes everything:\u003c\/strong\u003e the plant, free delivery and professional installation by our planting team. One price, whole job done.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eAgave ‘Sharkskin’\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNamed for the rough, sandpapery surface of its thick blue-grey leaves, this \u003cem\u003eAgave\u003c\/em\u003e hybrid forms a hard-edged rosette that reads as sculpture rather than planting. It is chosen over the softer agaves because the leaves are stiff enough to hold their geometry under wind and hail, and because it stays a manageable size instead of sprawling to two metres the way a century plant does.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch4\u003eWhy Agave ‘Sharkskin’\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eLeaf texture\u003c\/strong\u003e: The matt, abrasive leaf surface catches light quite differently to glossy succulents and gives the plant a stone-like presence.\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eRestrained size\u003c\/strong\u003e: A mature rosette sits around waist height and a little over a metre across, so it suits courtyards where larger agaves would dominate.\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eClean margins\u003c\/strong\u003e: Leaf edges are largely free of the vicious hooked teeth found on many agaves, though the terminal spine is still sharp.\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eExtreme drought hardiness\u003c\/strong\u003e: Once rooted it survives on rainfall alone through most Australian summers and resents supplementary water in humid weather.\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSlow, predictable growth\u003c\/strong\u003e: It takes years to reach full size, which means a planting scheme stays in proportion for a long time.\n\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch4\u003eIdeal Applications\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eArchitectural courtyard feature\u003c\/strong\u003e: A single rosette in a gravel bed against a rendered wall carries a whole courtyard on its own.\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDry garden groupings\u003c\/strong\u003e: Planted in odd-numbered groups among river stone and grasses for a low-water Mediterranean or desert palette.\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eLarge container work\u003c\/strong\u003e: Its compact root system and slow growth suit long-term pot culture on terraces and rooftops.\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eCoastal exposed sites\u003c\/strong\u003e: Salt wind and sandy soil that defeat most feature plants suit it well.\n\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch4\u003eSpecimen \u0026amp; Installation\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSpacing (screening\/hedge):\u003c\/strong\u003e Not a screening plant; for a dense low barrier plant at 0.8 to 1m centres\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSpacing (feature\/avenue):\u003c\/strong\u003e 1.5 to 2m, allowing the rosette to be viewed in the round\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eBest Planting Season:\u003c\/strong\u003e Spring through early autumn, while soil is warm and rainfall is light\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSoil \u0026amp; Drainage:\u003c\/strong\u003e Sharp drainage is non-negotiable. Sandy or gravelly soil, or a raised mound of coarse free-draining mix, with no irrigation lines directed at the crown.\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eEstablishment Care:\u003c\/strong\u003e Water lightly once a fortnight for the first two months only, and not at all during wet spells. Mulch with gravel or crushed rock rather than organic mulch, which traps moisture against the base and causes rot.\n\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch4\u003ePlant Details\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eHeight:\u003c\/strong\u003e 0.6 to 0.9m\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eWidth:\u003c\/strong\u003e 0.9 to 1.2m\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eGrowth Rate:\u003c\/strong\u003e Slow\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eFoliage:\u003c\/strong\u003e Evergreen\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eLight:\u003c\/strong\u003e Full sun\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eNative to:\u003c\/strong\u003e A garden hybrid of Mexican agave parentage\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eFlower Colour:\u003c\/strong\u003e Greenish yellow, on a tall spike produced once after many years\n\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Nursery Direct","offers":[{"title":"400mm","offer_id":59795360973086,"sku":"ND-0085-400MM","price":1100.0,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1000\/2536\/8862\/files\/ZyUBDOIUB0t3bdcYoW1GU_QqO9lJ29.jpg?v=1787314185","url":"https:\/\/nurserydirect.com.au\/products\/agave-sharkskin","provider":"Nursery Direct","version":"1.0","type":"link"}