Mauritius Hemp

Mauritius Hemp (Furcraea foetida) is the succulent for a coastal or dry garden that needs a bold shape and almost no attention. The rosette builds to roughly 2m tall and 2m wide, made of long, arching, sword shaped leaves that stay green through the hottest months. It is fast for its type, and salt, heat and drought barely register.

Why you'll love it

• Architecture without the wait. It is fast growing, so a 300mm plant reads as a feature within a couple of seasons.
• Built for the coast. Salt tolerant and comfortable in exposed positions, so front line coastal beds and windy headlands suit it.
• Drought and heat tolerant. Once established it lives on rain in most seasons.
• Low maintenance. No feeding, no staking. Pulling off the spent lower leaves once or twice a year is the whole job.

Where it works best

Coastal gardens. Plant it where salt laden wind burns other foliage. Set plants 1.5m to 2m apart for a run, allowing for the full 2m spread.

Rockeries and dry banks. A gravel pocket on a slope is ideal: sharp drainage, and room for the shape against stone.

Pots and feature planting. A pot 400mm or wider holds a single plant for years and keeps it smaller than it would be in the ground.

Growing Mauritius Hemp in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun. It suits tropical, subtropical, warm temperate and arid or semi-arid gardens. It takes light frost only, so in cool temperate and frost prone gardens grow it in a pot that can move under cover for winter.

Soil. Sharp drainage matters more than fertility, so sandy and gravelly soils are ideal. On clay, build a raised mound and mix coarse sand through the backfill: wet feet through a humid summer is the one thing that kills it.

Water and feed. Water weekly through the first summer so the roots get away, then leave it to the weather. Feeding is unnecessary and rich soil only makes the leaves floppy.

Pruning. Cut the spent lower leaves off flush at the base once they brown, and remove the flower spike after it finishes. Wear gloves and long sleeves, because the sap contains saponins and can irritate skin and eyes.

What to expect when it arrives

It is grown in four sizes: 140mm packs of ten, 200mm packs of six, and single 300mm and 400mm pots. The packs suit a bank or a coastal bed and build quickly from small rosettes, while the 300mm and 400mm plants arrive with the arching leaf shape already formed.

Succulents travel well. Expect a bent or creased leaf, which is cosmetic and grows out. Let the plant sit dry for a week after planting before the first water. Delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95. Every plant carries our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Plant choices for coastal gardens
• Browse the full succulent range
• Compare salt tolerant coastal plants
• Agaves for a similar architectural shape

Common questions

Is it safe around pets and children?

Treat it with care. The sap contains saponins, which can irritate skin and eyes, so it is not one of our pet friendly plants. Keep it away from paths a dog or a child would brush past, and wear gloves when you cut anything off.

Will it take frost?

Light frost only. An occasional light frost may mark the leaf tips, but repeated or hard frost damages the crown. In cold districts keep it potted and move it under eaves for winter.

Does it spread?

It can naturalise in warm coastal areas. Remove the flower spike once it finishes, and avoid planting on a boundary that backs onto bushland or a dune system.