FEATURES/ORIGINFeatures/Origin

This is an Agave that Mr. Philippe Otero first collected seeds of in 1984. It was assigned the field number FO-076 and, due to its place of origin, was also referred to as "Sierra Mixteca." Later it appeared, however, to be the same as "titanota" (titanota itself was named in 1982), and this view persisted. Since then, the enduring talking point has been that there are two types of titanota: the "Rancho type," with long leaves often called 'Blue' in the trade, and the "Sierra type," noted for its vigorous green and bold claws.

Rancho Type and Sierra Type

On one hand is the slender-leaved A. titanota 'Rancho Tambor' with small spines, known for its bluish-white foliage and also known as Blue Titanota (called "Azul" in Spanish in Mexico).

On the other hand is the more dramatically shaped A. FO-076 Sierra Mixteca (also known as A. 'Felipe Otero' in honor of its discoverer). Its leaves are bright green, hence it's sometimes called Green Titanota (known as "Verde" in Spanish). In Japan, what is known as "No.1 A. titanota 'No.1' " is said to belong to the Sierra Mixteca lineage.

So What is the "True" Titanota?

Given such pronounced differences, one can't help but wonder: aren't they different species? To resolve this question and clarify the relationship between the bold Sierra type and the slender Rancho type, Arizona grower Greg D Starr and his research partner Tristan J Davis made repeated field studies in the border region between Puebla and Oaxaca, the home range of both types. As a result, they published a paper asserting that "the two are separate species" (see *) and this was recognized by the Cactus and Succulent Society of America.

* https://www.academia.edu/42413125/Agave_oteroi_Asparagaceae_Agavoideae_a_new_species_from_North_central_Oaxaca_Mexico

As an outcome, the definition of A. titanota has become clearer, and the field-collected FO-076, proven to be distinct, was officially named A. oteroi .

Closely Related Species in the Neighborhood

Originally, these two species along with Kerchovei A. kerchovei and Quiotepecensis A. quiotepecensis all had habitats in close proximity, and it is said that many naturally occurring hybrids are also found in those areas. The research paper delves into the differences in detail, which I'll quote below.

A. oteroi

Height: 30–70 cm; width: 50–100 cm. Leaf color ranges from dull light green to dark green, rarely bright green, with occasional bright vertical striping. Leaves are broad and rounded. Spines are 2–18 mm long and 1–8 mm wide, with variable shape and curvature.

A. titanota

Height: 50–95 cm; width: 75–140 cm. Foliage is covered with wax, giving a bluish-white appearance. Rarely blue-green. Leaves are slender and elliptic. Spines are small, closely spaced yet few in number, and broadly set.

A. kerchovei

Height: 60–100 cm; width: 100–150 cm. Leaves are dark green, sometimes with faint light green stripes. Foliage is long and triangular. The modestly sized spines are spaced apart. They are slightly curved with a chipped tip.

A. quiotepecensis

The largest of the group at 55–115 cm tall and 115–160 cm wide. Leaves range from bright vivid light green to dark green and often turn red or purple. The spear-shaped leaves are sharply pointed, somewhat recurved, for an elegant silhouette. Spines are both small and large.