How to Grow and Care for Mangave Mission to Mars
Learn the essential care for Mangave 'Mission to Mars'. This guide explains how to bring out its deep red color and successfully manage its unique growth cycle.
Learn the essential care for Mangave 'Mission to Mars'. This guide explains how to bring out its deep red color and successfully manage its unique growth cycle.
The Mangave ‘Mission to Mars’ is a succulent prized for its unique appearance and manageable care. This plant is a horticultural cross between the genera Manfreda and Agave, blending attributes from both parents. The hybrid inherits a faster growth rate from its Manfreda lineage and the refined, structural habit of an Agave. This combination makes it a popular choice for gardens and container displays.
The defining feature of ‘Mission to Mars’ is its coloration. The thick, lance-shaped leaves are covered in so many burgundy red spots that they merge, creating an appearance of being almost entirely red. This deep, smoky red hue is most intense when the plant receives ample direct sunlight. The plant forms a classic rosette shape, a trait passed down from its Agave parentage.
A closer look reveals faint spotting, a nod to its Manfreda heritage. The leaves are broad and arching, with tips that curve gently downward. Along the edges, the margins curl slightly upward, showcasing small, cinnamon-colored spines that complement the red foliage. Unlike many agaves, the leaves are softer and lack dangerously sharp spikes, making the plant easier to handle.
‘Mission to Mars’ excels as a container specimen, where its form and color can serve as a “thriller” or centerpiece in a mixed arrangement. When selecting a pot, choose one that is slightly wider than the plant’s rosette to provide space for growth. Using a lighter-colored pot is preferable to a dark one, as it helps prevent the root ball from overheating in intense sun. Its manageable size makes it an excellent choice for patios and decorative containers.
In suitable climates, ‘Mission to Mars’ is a good addition to the garden landscape. It is well-suited for rock gardens, xeriscapes, and succulent beds where its color provides a bold contrast. This mangave is half-hardy and can be grown outdoors year-round in USDA Hardiness Zones 9 and 10. In colder regions, it must be brought indoors or into a frost-free greenhouse for the winter.
‘Mission to Mars’ requires full sun to develop its deep red coloration, as the pigment’s intensity is directly related to UV light exposure. While it can adapt to lower light conditions, the colors will be less vibrant and may appear more green. When grown indoors, even with grow lights, the colors tend to fade but will return once the plant is moved back outdoors into the sun.
This succulent demands well-draining soil to prevent root rot. A commercially available cactus or succulent mix is an excellent choice. The goal is to ensure that water does not sit around the roots, so sandy or loamy soils are effective for in-ground plantings.
‘Mission to Mars’ is drought-tolerant once established but appreciates more moisture than a typical agave during its summer growing season. Use the “soak and dry” method by watering the plant thoroughly and allowing the soil to dry out completely before watering again. During the winter, watering should be reduced significantly.
This plant has minimal fertilizer needs. Feeding is not required, but a light application can support its relatively fast growth. If you choose to fertilize, do so once in the spring with a balanced, half-strength fertilizer to coincide with its active growing period. Over-fertilizing should be avoided as it can harm the plant.
‘Mission to Mars’ has a moderate to fast growth rate, reaching a mature size of approximately 8 to 10 inches in height and 20 to 22 inches in width. It takes a couple of years for the plant to become fully established in the garden.
Like many of its relatives, Mangave is often monocarpic, meaning the primary rosette will die after sending up a flower stalk. Before the main plant perishes, it produces offsets, or “pups,” around its base. These small new plants can be carefully separated and replanted, allowing you to continue enjoying the succulent.