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Lavender companion · grow guide
Mangave · × Mangave
A fast-growing succulent for full sun and gritty, fast-draining soil. It isn't winter hardy in the North, so grow it in pots or as a summer accent and bring it inside before frost.
Check my zone & planting dates
Full sunLight
Low waterFast drainage
pH 6.0–8.0Soil
Zones 8a–11bHardiness
16″ tall36″ wide
ResistantDeer · rabbits resistant
Mildly toxicPets
Huckleberry saysTell me where you grow and I’ll check if Bad Hair Day will thrive there.
Hardy in zones 8a–11b
Plant outside after all danger of frost, when nights stay above 50°F.
Your year with Bad Hair Day
When it arrives
Plugs are small and tender. Pot into 4-inch pots and grow on 3–5 weeks in bright light, or plant out after frost. Keep evenly moist, harden off a week, and set the plug top level with the soil. Pot into gritty succulent mix and let it dry slightly between waterings.
Plant outside after all danger of frost, when nights stay above 50°F.
Set the base of the rosette level with the soil surface; never bury the leaves.
Size varies a lot: 12–36 inches depending on variety.
Gritty cactus or succulent mix · pH 6.0–8.0
Fix-it tip: Use succulent mix with extra pumice or perlite. In the ground, plant in a raised gravelly spot; wet soil causes rot.
Full sun (tolerates part sun).
More sun brings out the red and purple spots and keeps rosettes tight.
Don’t give up on it
Evergreen and doesn't go dormant. Growth slows in winter indoors and speeds up in summer heat.
Move outside after frost; acclimate to sun gradually.
Water when dry; feed lightly.
Bring indoors before frost.
Bright window; water sparingly.
First season: Water when the soil is dry an inch down.
After that: Drought tolerant, but grows faster with regular summer water if drainage is good.
A diluted balanced fertilizer once or twice in summer is plenty.
Remove dried lower leaves. Rosettes that flower will die afterward, but most produce offsets.
Rarely needed. Remove offsets (pups) in summer and pot them up.
Not hardy in Michigan. Most handle brief temps near the mid-20s °F only in dry soil (about zones 8–11). Bring indoors before frost.
Loves heat. Good airflow helps in humid weather.
Mushy leaves at the baseLikely cause: Overwatering or poor drainage
What to do: Let it dry out, remove soft leaves, and repot in gritty mix.
Stretched, pale rosetteLikely cause: Too little light indoors
What to do: Give your sunniest window or a grow light.
White cottony spotsLikely cause: Mealybugs
What to do: Dab with rubbing alcohol on a cotton swab.
Soft, translucent or mushy lower leaves mean too wet. Wrinkled, thin leaves mean too dry.
Not on ASPCA's lists; agave relatives contain saponins and irritating sap that can cause mouth irritation and stomach upset. Leaf tips can be sharp.
Deer: resistant · Rabbits: resistant
Finnegan saysStill not sure what’s wrong? Ask Plant Health — describe it or add a photo.
Good in pots · 1 gallon+
Ideal for pots with drainage holes and gritty mix. Use a pot only a little wider than the rosette.
Can grow indoors
Overwinter in your sunniest window or a cool, bright room, watering about once a month.
No chill needed
Grown for foliage; no cold period needed.
Plugs from the tray
3–4 inch pots for 3–5 weeks, until roots hold the soil
Garden bed or a 1 gallon potTime to move up? Slide the plant out: if white roots wrap the outside of the soil, it’s ready for the next size.
Planting with lavender
Plant it right alongside lavender
Shares lavender's love of sun, heat and dry, gritty soil. In cold areas, set pots of mangave beside lavender for summer and bring them in for winter.
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