One of my favorite varieties of the Mangave collection is the ‘Snow Leopard’. In this post I share unique images and video featuring the plant and how I grow it in Ohio. The plant is only hardy in zones 8-10 so it spends the winter in my dome.
About The Snow Leopard Mangave
This variegated sport of ‘Jaguar’ has the long, lance-shaped leaves of the parent but with creamy white margins. Some cherry red spotting exists along the margins, but the bright variegation appears clear from a distance. Like the ‘Kaleidoscope’ mangave, this has white margins (versus yellow) and dark spots cover the leaves and are pink which are enhanced with UV light.
Mangave is a cross of Manfreda x Agave. These rare hybrids combine the best of both worlds: the better growth rate and the interesting patterns of Manfreda, and the habit and refinement of Agave. One of the most unique new hybrids from Walters Gardens hybridizing. Gardeners and houseplant fans will appreciate how fast the Mangave grow comparing it to the Agave. The ‘snow leopard’ mangave is just one of my favorites from this growing collection of plants. Hardiness zones 8-10 can grow the mangave as a perennial.
Snow Leopard Mangave Facts
This is a very unique plant to grow in any hardiness zone. If you are in cooler zones the plant does best in a container that can be moved indoors before frost. There are many reasons I love this plant but my favorite facts about the plant include:
- Intense color when growing out in full sun during the summer season.
- Easy to care for in container or landscape depending on growing zone
- The snow leopard mangave doesn’t have pokers or spikes like the Agave
- Grow as a houseplant during the winter months with little to NO watering!
Snow Leopard Mangave Growing Tips
Mangave is a tender perennial or “temperennial” succulent plant that grows best in full sun. Plant in well-drained, dry to average soil in containers just slightly wider than the width of the rosette or plant directly in the ground. In summer when the plants are actively growing, they appreciate a bit of supplemental watering and half-strength fertilizer. They should be grown dry in winter. Mangave is a slower grower, so it will not quickly overtake the space it is allotted in the landscape.
