Product Field NotesCompanion Plants
Navajo Princess Mangave: A Crisp Cream-Edged Star for Sunny Pots
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Navajo Princess mangave is a variegated mangave with clear, consistent cream margins framing deep blue-green centers. Unlike many mangaves, it shows only a few spots near the crown, so the clean two-tone coloring takes center stage. Compared with Snow Leopard, another variegated mangave, its leaves are thicker and more heavily toothed.
It loves the same hot sun and sharp drainage as lavender, but it is hardy only in zones 9 to 11, so in the Great Lakes region it is a summer container that comes indoors for winter.
Navajo Princess at a glance
| Trait | What to expect |
|---|---|
| Botanical name | × Mangave 'Navajo Princess' |
| Foliage | Deep blue-green centers with wide cream margins; leaves about 1 1/2 inches wide |
| Flowers | Rarely flowers |
| Size | 8 to 20 inches tall, 18 to 32 inches wide as it matures |
| Hardiness | USDA zones 9 to 11 |
| Light | Full sun |
| Deer | Resistant |
Clean lines among soft lavender
Navajo Princess forms a fairly low, horizontal, open rosette that frames the rim of a container nicely. Its crisp green-and-cream star shape is a strong contrast to lavender's soft, rounded mounds, while the cream edges pick up the light tones of white lavender, pale gravel or a stone patio. A single large pot at the corner of a lavender bed or on a sunny step makes a tidy, modern accent.
If you are planting several mangaves, Navajo Princess is the calm one: no heavy spotting, just clear stripes. It looks good beside spotted types like Moonglow if you want a contrast in pattern. Plan placements in the Companion Plant Planner.
Container care
- Pot: a container with a drainage hole and room for a rosette up to about 2 1/2 feet across.
- Mix: gritty soil or cactus mix; avoid heavy garden soil.
- Water: soak when dry, then let it dry out again. Overwatering is the usual mistake.
- Handling: the toothed margins and tip spines are sharp. Wear gloves when repotting.
The winter plan
Watch your fall forecast and bring Navajo Princess indoors before the first frost, using the Frost Date Estimator as a guide. A bright south or west window works well. Water sparingly in winter, then move it back outdoors in spring after frost danger passes, giving it a few days of bright shade before full sun so the leaves adjust.
The plug tray format
Navajo Princess is offered as a full 72-cell plug tray, suited to growers and anyone potting up mangaves in quantity. See the product page for current availability, or the Wholesale Hub for tray orders.
Frequently asked questions
Can it stay outside through winter here?
No. It is hardy outdoors only in zones 9 to 11, so bring it indoors before frost in the Great Lakes region.
How is it different from Snow Leopard?
Navajo Princess has thicker, more heavily toothed leaves with clean cream margins and very little spotting.
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