Agave ‘Rum Runner’ is a distinctive succulent, celebrated for its striking appearance and relatively compact size. This plant offers a unique visual appeal, making it a favored choice for both container gardening and arid landscape designs. Its resilience and vibrant coloration contribute to its popularity among plant enthusiasts seeking a low-maintenance yet impactful specimen.
Unique Features of Rum Runner Agave
The ‘Rum Runner’ cultivar (Agave isthmensis ‘Rum Runner’) stands out with its unique coloration and growth habit. It forms a symmetrical rosette, typically reaching 8 to 10 inches in height and diameter. The leaves display a dramatic contrast, featuring blue-gray or gray-green centers with bold golden-yellow or creamy-yellow variegation along the mid-stripe of each leaf.
This agave is a slow-growing plant, appealing for smaller spaces or containers. While some agaves have sharp spines, ‘Rum Runner’ can have softer, rubbery spines or distinctive sharp terminal spines. Over time, the plant produces numerous offsets, or “pups,” at its base, forming dense clumps.
Cultivating Rum Runner Agave
Light Requirements
Rum Runner Agave thrives in bright conditions, ideally receiving full sun to partial shade. For vibrant coloration, provide ample sunlight. When moving the plant to a brighter location, gradual acclimation prevents leaf burn. This agave can also be grown indoors in a well-lit area, such as near a south or southeast-facing window.
Watering Needs
As a drought-tolerant succulent, Agave ‘Rum Runner’ requires infrequent watering. Use the “soak and dry” method, allowing the soil to dry out completely between waterings. Overwatering is a common pitfall, leading to root rot. During the active growing season (spring and summer), water every one to two weeks; reduce watering significantly in cooler, dormant months.
Soil Preferences
Well-draining soil is crucial for Rum Runner Agave. A specialized cactus or succulent potting mix is ideal, often enriched with sand, gravel, or perlite to improve drainage. The plant will not tolerate heavy, water-retentive soils, which cause moisture accumulation around the roots. Proper drainage prevents roots from sitting in water, a primary cause of root issues.
Temperature and Hardiness
This agave prefers warm spring and summer temperatures, with an ideal range between 70°F and 85°F (21°C to 29°C). It is hardy in USDA Zones 9a/9b through 11b. While it tolerates brief dips to around 20-25°F (-6 to -4°C), frost protection is important to prevent scarring or damage. In colder climates, containerized plants can be moved indoors for winter.
Fertilization
Rum Runner Agave is not a heavy feeder and requires minimal fertilization. If desired, apply a balanced, low-nitrogen fertilizer formulated for cacti and succulents sparingly. Fertilize during the active growing season (spring and summer). Avoid fertilization during the plant’s dormant winter period, as excessive salts can damage roots.
Addressing Common Challenges
Rum Runner Agave, while relatively low-maintenance, can face certain issues. Root rot is a prevalent concern, often resulting from overwatering or inadequate soil drainage. This causes the plant’s roots to decay. Ensuring the soil dries completely between waterings and using a gritty, well-draining mix prevents this problem.
Pests like the agave snout weevil and agave running bug can also affect these plants. The agave snout weevil, a black beetle about an inch long, lays eggs at the plant’s base; its larvae feed on plant tissue, leading to wilting and decay. The agave running bug, a smaller insect, causes yellow or tan spots on leaves due to sap feeding.
Regular inspection and prompt treatment with insecticidal soap or neem oil can help manage these issues. Environmental stressors like sunburn occur if the plant is not properly acclimated to intense light. Cold damage can result from insufficient frost protection in cooler zones.
Propagating Rum Runner Agave
Propagating Rum Runner Agave is primarily achieved through its offsets, or “pups.” These small plantlets form at the base of the mature plant. To propagate, carefully detach the pups from the mother plant, ensuring to include any developed roots.
Allow the separated pups to “callus” or dry for a few days (two to seven days) before planting. This callusing process helps prevent rot once planted. After callusing, plant the pups in a well-draining succulent or cactus mix. The best time for propagation is during the active growing season, such as late spring or early summer, to allow new plants to establish roots readily.