Before I start going into detail about the places Kyle and I visited on our Santa Barbara trip last weekend, here’s a collection of pictures from around town. They’re a bit random, but there is a theme: aloes and agaves. They’re everywhere in Santa Barbara.
We stayed in a small vacation rental in the Mesa neighborhood. The location was insane: just a block from a bluff that overlooks the ocean. The nearest beach access was an easy 10-minute walk — plus a steep climb down 1,000 steps to the eponymous One Thousand Steps Beach. Well, it did feel like 1,000 steps, but in reality it was only 157 steps (I looked it up).
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| Steps down to One Thousand Steps Beach |
I’ll show you some sunset photos of One Thousand Steps Beach
a little later, but let’s begin with one plant that is positively everywhere in Santa Barbara: the foxtail agave (
Agave attenuata).
Up here in the Sacramento Valley, we have to protect Agave attenuata against the sun in the summer and the cold in the winter. A dip into the high 20s inevitably causes prominent black spots on the leaves. If it weren’t such a bewitching plant, I wouldn’t bother, but I must admit, I have a soft spot for it. Maybe because it’s such a challenge for me.
In Santa Barbara, on the other hand, Agave attenuata needs no special treatment. Because it offsets prodigiously and hence is easy to pass along to neighbors and friends, it dominates both residential and commercial landscapes. As a result, some people dismiss Agave attenuata as pedestrian, even weedy. Not yours truly. Even after seeing literally thousands of them over the course of three days, I still find it beautiful.
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| This variegated form called ‘Kara’s Stripe’ is particularly striking |
Agave attenuata is attractive by itself, but when it flowers, it becomes a showstopper. It’s easy to see why its common name is foxtail agave. It does resemble a foxtail: about halfway up, the flower stalk makes a sharp downward bend, and then it arches up again. Thousands of individual flowers give it a floofy appearance.
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| Another common name for Agave attenuata is swan’s neck agave — also quite appropriate |
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| Definitely taller than me |
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| Even taller than Kyle |
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| Almost alien-looking at night |
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| Here you can see the fluffy flowers |
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| The bees went wild |
Staying in a residential neighborhood gave us the opportunity to walk around nearby streets and check out the landscaping. There were plenty of Agave attenuata, but other agaves as well:
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| Agave ‘Blue Flame’ and the equally beautiful Cuphea micropetala |
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| All too many Agave americana look messy when they’re allowed to grow into massive clumps, but this one — meticulously de-pupped to be solitary — was beautiful |
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| This Agave americana was good-looking, too |
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These Agave americana ‘Marginata’, on the other hand, are completely out of control
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| Kyle’s body language says it all: WHY? Actually, it’s WTF? |
I set out to write one post, but I have so many photos to share that I will break it into two parts.
Here is the continuation: aloes, margaritas, and sunsets.
© Gerhard Bock, 2026. All rights reserved. To receive all new posts by email, please subscribe here.
I lived in Santa Barbara for 4 years (well, actually Isla Vista) but I think you've probably seen more of the area than I ever have! Agave attenuata is the most common agave in my neighborhood by a landslide - and it was literally the only succulent of any kind in our garden at the time we purchased the property. Amazingly, none of mine have ever bloomed, although many in my neighborhood have.
ReplyDeleteI'm really surprised none of your attenuatas have flowered. They seem to flower fairly young, from what I hear. Not that I have any personal experience :-)
DeleteHa ha ha, you two! I agree, I'm ever infatuated with attenuata. Doesn't hurt that you don't see them everywhere around here. Santa Barbara is fantasy land. Looking forward to your next post.
ReplyDeleteFantasy land, so true, that's what it felt like.
DeleteI feel sorry for whoever has to re-paint the red curb under the agaves in the last photo. On the other hand the agaves are much better than a redcurb to keep people from parking illegally.
ReplyDeleteLOL, I bet that curb doesn't get painted anymore :-)
DeleteI appreciate seeing both of you for scale next to the A. attenuata flower arch and the closeup of the flowers. Just because a plant is overused in the landscape doesn't mean it still isn't a perfectly gardenworthy, wonderful plant.
ReplyDelete