On a 2008 visit to Arizona’s Mountain States Nursery, we found this oddball among the trays of Agave weberi seedlings. After trialing it for several years, we gave it the name Agave weberi ‘Purple Heart’. For us, Agave weberi ‘Purple Heart’ forms a large 4′ tall x 6′ wide specimen with wide blue leaves, each highlighted by a 1″ wide purple central stripe. This is the only agave we’ve ever seen with such a unique leaf pattern. Agave weberi itself is somewhat of a mystery, with the original plant reportedly from somewhere in Tamaulipas, Mexico, although no wild specimens have ever been found, leading us to assume it to be a very old garden hybrid or a homeless species. Most forms of Agave weberi are winter hardy to 10-15 degrees F.
