Agave patonii "variegata"
This variegated form is especially attractive and it is always one those plants that caught peoples eyes in the green house. The handsome smaller rosette with bold yellow margins will not exceed 15 cm in diameter and is therefore ideal for growing in containers.
 

Description: Agave Patonii "variegata" is the dwarf, small growing, variegated form of Agave Parryi (but there are many that don't believe this plant to be a cultivar of Agave parryi and suggests it may be a cultivar of Agave applanata) This cultivar is also found under a few different names like:  Agave patoni 'Cream Spike' or 'Dwarf variegated', or with the Japanese names Agave parry 'Merico Nishiki', ' Ohikitsusyote Nisiki' or 'Toyoushi'. Other names include: Agave minima 'Variegata', Agave pattonii marginata or 'alba marginata'
It shoots off pups/offsets readily as the mother plant matures.
Stem: Acaulescent.
Rosettes: Compact, looking like a giant artichoke, that grows to only 10-12 cm tall by about 15-12 (or more) cm wide.
Leaves: Essentially smooth light blue-grey-green to olive green, very broadly oblong, quickly acuminate, openly concave (spoon-shaped), margined with cream coloured edges and with a stiffly erect-spreading; spine somewhat flexuous, from purple-chestnut becoming dull gray-brown. The margins occasionally have a seasonal slight flush of red at the leaf tip and base. Marginal spines are well spaced.
Flowers: Blooms only when the plant is 20 years old or more. The flower stalk is up to 3 (or more) meters tall with small orange to yellow flowers. The plant then dies leaving suckers that grow into replacement plants.
 

Scientific Name: Agave patonii Trel. forma variegata

Common Names include: Parry's Agave, Century plant

Origin:   Garden origin (Nursery selected cultivar)

Synonyms:

• Agave parryi  Engelm. forma variegata
• Agave patonii "Toyushi"
• Agave patonii "compact variegated"
• Agave parryi var. patoni "Dwarf Variegated"
• Agave parryi "Cream Spike"
• Agave parry cv. "Merico Nishiki"
• Agave patoni "hikitsusyote Nisiki"
• Agave patonii "Toyoushi"
• Agave pattonii "marginata"
• Agave patonii "alba marginata"
• Agave minima "variegata"
   

It look like a giant artichoke with somewhat wide, short pale blue leaves margined with cream coloured edges and a dark-red, sharp terminal spine and small, but very sharp reddish lateral leaf spines.
 

Cultivation: A very slow growing Agave patonii variegata is a real beauty and worth the wait, it is highly ornamental and very beautiful. Like all agaves it is extremely drought tolerant. Although it will grow larger with supplemental water, its roots need to be in well-drained soil, and will rot if kept wet. Likes full sun, but will tolerate shade. One of the hardiest agaves (Resistant to -7°C or less) In winter watering this plant can be done once every 1-2 months, there is no need to mist the leaves.

Propagation: By suckers: Remove the basal suckers  in spring or summer and let the cuttings dry for a few days before inserting in compost.

Uses: They are attractive massed in the succulent garden, they are also wonderful when used for accent or simply to provide some all year round foliage colour and often used in a pot as a patio plant, they make an eye-catching statement and along with other evergreen plants in pots, can be moved around to change the scenery or position to give more shelter. It is also well suited for containers.

Photo of conspecific taxa, varieties, forms and cultivars of Agave parryi:

• Agave parry "RUBY"
• Agave patonii "VARIEGATA" (A. parryi var. patonii "variegata")