Mangave ‘Mission to Mars’

Family:	Agavaceae/Asparagaceae
Genus:	Mangave
Scientific Name:	Mangave ’Mission to Mars’
Growth Season:	Spring to autumn
Preferred Temperature:	15.5oC (60oF) give or take a few degrees. Winter is hardy to between -5oC (23oF) if the temperature remains in that position for a short time.
Hardiness Zone:	USDA Zone 9-11
Average Mature Height & Width:	It has a height of 8-10 inches and a width of 20 -22 inches.
Dormancy:	Its growth slows down in winter.
Toxicity:	When ingested or touched, it is not toxic to humans or pets.

Mangave Mission to Mars Physical Characteristics

It has unique foliage, with its leaves being tender and smooth. They are evergreen, rosette-forming, and the rosette they form is quite symmetrical. The leaves are green, but they are heavily speckled with burgundy-red spots. So heavy is the speckling that the plant looks reddish from a distance. These leaves are grooved and recurved. They have some teeth on the margins the same color as the leaves.

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Mangave Mission to Mars Care

It requires regular watering to facilitate growth. Watering should be more frequent in the warmer seasons, from spring to autumn. This is because these are the plant’s active seasons, and the warmth will cause moisture in the substrate to evaporate faster. Water the plant sparingly to prevent waterlogging, making it vulnerable to root rot.

The pottage in which you grow it should have high gravel content or pumice to facilitate drainage. Well-draining soil and a pot with drainage holes reduce the possibility of overwatering since the substrate won’t retain water. Use the soak and dry watering method to water it. It is the easiest way to avoid root rot.

Feed it with a dilute, slow-release, liquid fertilizer. The feeding is best done at the beginning of spring because the plant will utilize the fertilizer well throughout the growing season. The fertilizer should be rich in potassium, and phosphorus with just a little nitrogen.

You should keep your plant under the full sun for an average of six hours daily to enhance leaf color and ensure the plant’s general health. Keeping it under low light reduces its leaves’ darkness, slows growth, and makes the plant leggy while reducing rosette density. Move it to a shade if the sun isn’t scorching.

DO YOU KNOW? Caring (propagating, pruning/trimming, beheading, watering, …) is a set of skills that is widely applicable to succulents. Read the in-depth guide here >>

Richard Miller – Succulent City

Mangave Mission to Mars Growth

Many plants in this genus are monocarpic, a habit inherited from the agave side of the plant’s parentage. In some instances, they produce offsets after flowering. Check to see if your plant produces them and uses them for propagation. Alternatively, you can use leaf cuttings or plant division.

It rarely needs pruning, but you should remove any dead or drooping leaves at the base of the plant to keep it neat. As a fast-growing plant, it will likely outgrow its pot a few times in its lifetime. Repot it when it doubles in size. It can be attacked by some pests such as mealybugs, thrips, eriophyid mites, and scale. Control them using organic systemic or contact pesticides. However, keeping the plant healthy is the best defense against these pests.

Before you leave …

You can see all plants from the Mangave genus on Succulent City on this page. Or the previous/next plant: