In February, I posted a summer memory photo of a mango I love on Instagram, and @plantsplantsen messaged me about it. “Nice to meet another manga fan,” he wrote. We talked, and he offered to send me mangava puppies in the spring. “Whaaaat? Are you a Mangava Santa?” I asked. Of course, I’m not looking a Mangava horse gift in the mouth. I gave him my shipping address after glancing at his Insta to make sure he was a legit plant and not a weirdo stalker.
And then I forgot about it. A month later, two large boxes arrived at my doorstep. I thought I had ordered plants, but when I opened the heavy packages, I was greeted by a mass of fleshy, colorful and striped leaves. Oh my god, look at all these manga! It was like Christmas in early March. A manga that Santa really delivered!
Each mango was carefully potted and packed in a nursery tray and staked tightly enough that very few of the fragile leaves broke. I took 18 different varieties out of the boxes, squealing with delight at each one.
I admit I didn’t know who @plantsplantsen was until I Googled my mango benefactor and found out he was the prized mango (and other plant) hybrid Hans Hansen (I see what he was doing there with @plantsplantsen) at Walters Gardens, a wholesale grower in Zeeland, Michigan . While you can’t buy their plants in retail, you can find them through online retailers like Proven Winners, Plant Delights, White Flower Farm, Bluestone Perennials, and more.
I soon potted my mangove in terra cotta pots and topped it off with fine decomposed granite. Turn up the volume a bit on the video accompanied by Neko Case singing — how appropriate — Man. If you’re curious, the pink watering flags in the background indicate newly planted plants so I remember where to water. Also, it’s the season of live oak leaves falling, hence the brown leaves everywhere.
Mangaves are hybrids of agave and manfreda, crossed into colorful, fleshy-leaved, spotted and striped perfection. They are far less spiky than agaves and are generally smaller. For me, a few have proven to be (semi) winter hardy in the Austin country, such as ‘Macho Mocha’, ‘Espresso’ and ‘Moonglow’, but even these suffer damage during winters like the one we just had, often dying and returning from a pup hidden under the leaves of the mother plant. I’ll have to bring these potted puppies in during the frosts next winter, so we’ll see how long that lasts. But for now I’m in love with this fun range to enjoy.
The 18 manga sent by Hans include ‘Silver Fox’ (pictured above), ‘Black Magic’, ‘Man of Steel’, ‘Catch the Wave’, ‘Spotty Dotty’, ‘Pineapple Express’, ‘Red Wing’, ‘Aztec King ‘, ‘Permanent Wave’, ‘Navajo Princess’, ‘Praying Hands’, ‘Inkblot’, ‘Bad Hair Day’, ‘Snow Leopard’, ‘Wavecrest’, ‘Kaleidoscope’, and ‘Lavender Lady’. Plus Hansar ‘Jumping Jacks’, a three-way cross between Mangava, Manfreda and Polianthes (Tuberose).
Check out the Mad About Manga collection at Walters Gardens for information on each.
‘Bad Hair Day’ with shaggy leaves
Drama of dark leaves
Purple spots
Fun, isn’t it? Thank you very much, Hans — or should I say, Mangave Claus? And thanks to you too, Walters Gardens!
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March 16: To attend the third annual Budding Out Plant Sale & Festival 3/16 at John Fairey Garden in Hempstead. Rare and distinctive plants from the garden nursery and selected plant vendors will be for sale. Additional offerings include art, ceramics, jewelry, food, music and presentations. Admission: $5 for members, $10 for non-members, children 12 and under free. Working hours: from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.; members receive early admission at 9am (membership available day of event).
30-31. March: Come see Austin Cactus & Succulent Society Show in the Zilker Botanical Garden on March 30 and 31 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Includes a plant display with specimen cacti and succulents, handmade pottery, a daily silent auction and hourly plant raffle, and expert advice. Admission is included with paid Zilker Garden admission, $5 to $8 for adults, $3 to $4 for children (under 2 free).
April 6: Come out to Austin’s Mayfield Park on 4/6 for Mayfield Park Gardening Symposium & Fundraiser, from 8:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. This annual park benefit includes a raffle, plant sale and garden speakers.
May 4th: Explore “splendid backyards, perfect pools and pergolas, and outdoor rooms and gardens” at ATX outdoor trip 4. 5. from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Landscape architects, designers and builders will be on hand to answer questions. Tickets are $33.85 for adults, $17.85 for children 10-17.
May 11: Save the date for Austin Home’s Great Outdoors Tour on 5/11.
June 1-2: Take a two-day bar and garden tour in and around Austin at the annual Austin Pond and Garden Tour, held on February 1 and 6 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tickets are $20 to $25.
Come learn about gardening and design at Garden Spark! I host in-person talks by inspiring designers, landscape architects, authors, and gardeners several times a year in Austin. These are limited-attendance events that sell out quickly, so join the Garden Spark email list to be notified in advance; simply click this link and request to be added. Season 8 begins in the fall of 2024. Stay tuned for more information!
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