Mangave Is the Succulent Everyone Will Be Planting This Year – It’s Tough, Drought-Tolerant and Surprisingly Easy to Grow
This hybrid succulent species is striking and so easy to care for
Whether you're a houseplant enthusiast or an eager beginner, the chances are you've got a few succulents in your home – but you may not have heard of mangave.
This intriguing plant is in fact a hybrid species combining manfreda and agave – two succulents which can be found in arid regions across the Americas. The result is a hardy, versatile and colorful plant which is drought-resistant and generally low-maintenance.
Article continues belowWhere Did Mangave Succulents Come From?
'Mangave is pretty new to the plant scene,' says Gurkaren Ark, project manager at Ark's Landscaping in Mississauga, Ontario.
'Even though it is a hybrid between manfreda and agave, the genus of mangave is still agave.
'It combines some features from both plant families, with the drought resistance and style of agave, but the faster growth and foilage patterns of manfreda,' he explains.
'Since they are cultivated as a hybrid, mangave succulents feature the best characteristics of both parents,' states Lotte Berendsen, a certified botanist from the PlantIn app.
'Like manfreda, mangave grows fast and has no spikes, making it much easier to handle than other, more prickly succulents,' she continues.
'Mangave is also heat-tolerant, like agave, and the leaves often have bold colors and interesting patterns or shapes.'
Mangave plants typically grow well outdoors in US hardiness zones 8-10. They're an example of a monocarpic species: the mother plant will flower once, produce baby plants (or 'pups') to continue its lineage, and then die off.
Mangave can be grown either indoors or outdoors without much fuss – although just like the varieties of agave and manfreda from which it descends, it is toxic to pets.
Gurkaren is a project manager at Ark's Landscaping. The firm provides lawn care and landscaping services to commercial and residential customers in Mississauga, Ontario and the surrounding area.
Lotte is a gardening enthusiast, writer, and plant expert at PlantIn, where she provides customers with detailed care and treatment plans
How to Grow Mangave
As with many of the best indoor succulents, mangave is impressively easy to grow, both outdoors and indoors.
It requires very little upkeep, although you will need to pay attention to temperature and light if you live in a colder region. (Grow lights, like these adjustable indoor plant lights from Amazon, are a great investment if you are growing as a houseplant in a cooler climate.)
According to Gurkaren, the most important thing to focus on is 'ensuring that mangave succulents have plenty of sun exposure and appropriate amounts of water.'
Mangave is hardy and drought-tolerant, although you will need to water it more regularly after planting.
'Mangave can withstand more water than a traditional succulent, which will fuel faster growth, but you don’t want to overdo it,' says Gurkaren.
'The soil should be allowed to dry out before watering again to prevent root rot,' adds Lotte.
If you're looking for the best soil to use for succulents, a well-draining mix is essential; you can find options like Miracle Gro's succulent potting mix on Amazon.
If growing indoors, 'make sure to grow mangave in a succulent- or cactus-specific mix and a container with drainage holes,' says Lotte. 'Plant it in a terracotta or clay container that is roughly 1-2 inches larger than the root ball. Don't use a pot that's too large, as this can drown the roots.'
Mangave might be a hardy plant, but since it hails from arid climates, it's worth noting that it can struggle outdoors in harsher weather.
'Ideally, mangave should receive around 6-8 hours of full sun; this will make it grow faster and bring out the vibrance in the leaves,' advises Lotte, 'As a tropical succulent, it prefers temperatures around 60-85°F.'
With spring on the horizon, the current priority is, of course, sunlight – which means that you can move indoor mangave plants to your backyard or patio as the weather starts to improve. (Just make sure to do this after the last frost, as mangave succulents are not frost resistant.)
What to Shop
If you're growing your succulents indoors, you'll need somewhere to display them – and this plant shelf is ideal. It will look glorious in any room.
Succulents don't need fertilizing often, but spring is the best time to feed them. This liquid fertilizer is great to have on hand.
Help your mangave plants to thrive with a fast-draining soil mix like this one. It includes lime, perlite, peat moss, coarse sand, and composted pine bark.
Looking for more low-maintenance indoor plants? We asked experts to share the top succulent trends for 2026, and there's plenty of inspiration to be found.
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