- Botanical name: Furcraea longaeva
- Common name: Giant furcraea
- Family: Agavaceae
- Plant Type: Cactus or succulent, House plant, Tree
White
Blue/Green
Furcraea longaeva has pale blue-green sword-shaped leaves which grow upwards, like a yucca. Mature plants bear enormous white flower spikes in summer, which sometimes reach heights of more than three metres. Each individual flower on the spike develops into a tiny baby plant, which drops off the stem to root into the soil, while the parent plant eventually dies. It’s perfect for adding a touch of drama to an exotic or tropical style border.
Grow Furcraea longaeva in full sun in well-drained soil. Frost tender, you will need to protect it in winter, while transplanting some of the baby plants into pots to overwinter indoors will insure against losses outside. Alternatively, grow it indoors in a large conservatory.
How to grow Furcraea
-
Plant size
8m height
2m spread
-
Aspect
South facing, west facing
-
Position in border
Middle
- Sun exposure: Full sun
- Hardiness: Frost hardy
- Soil type: Acidic / chalky / alkaline / well drained / light / sandy
Plant calendar
Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Plant | ||||||||||||
Plant |
J
Do not Plant in January |
F
Do not Plant in February |
M
Do not Plant in March |
A
Do not Plant in April |
M
Do Plant in May |
J
Do Plant in June |
J
Do Plant in July |
A
Do not Plant in August |
S
Do not Plant in September |
O
Do not Plant in October |
N
Do not Plant in November |
D
Do not Plant in December |
Flowers | ||||||||||||
Flowers |
J
Plant does not flower in January |
F
Plant does not flower in February |
M
Plant does not flower in March |
A
Plant does not flower in April |
M
Plant does not flower in May |
J
Plant does flower in June |
J
Plant does flower in July |
A
Plant does flower in August |
S
Plant does not flower in September |
O
Plant does not flower in October |
N
Plant does not flower in November |
D
Plant does not flower in December |
Furcraea and wildlife
Furcraea longaeva has no particular known value to wildlife in the UK.
Is Furcraea poisonous?
Furcraea longaeva has no toxic effects reported.
No reported toxicity to Birds
No reported toxicity to Cats
No reported toxicity to Dogs
No reported toxicity to Horses
No reported toxicity to Livestock
No reported toxicity to People