Mangaves. Are they the Answer for Colorful Bromeliads in Zone 8b?

[Collectorpalms]

I am new to Mangaves. Saw my first ones for sale the other day, “Pineapple Express”. While it was a little too lacking in bright color for a truly tropical feel. I started looking online and see quite a few more promising ones. 

Are there more colorful ones Hardy enough for typical warm end zone 8b winters? 

 

Edited May 6, 2021 by Collectorpalms

[necturus]

Not sure but interested in hearing about people's experiences. My suspicion is they aren't that leaf hardy but may come back from the roots. Native Manfreda do that.

You can probably grow most bromeliads outdoors most winters. When the big bad ones come, pull them up and throw them in your garage. Then plunk 'em back when you're done. That's what I did. Worked so well I bought a lot more last weekend. Also, some of the hardiest ones may survive an 8b winter.

[Xenon]

 

These Quesnelia quesneliana saw 14F in Houston and at least some of them will live. The living ones are green at the base and are even flowering! Little/no damage from 18F back in 2018. 

 

[VA Jeff]

I think I have macho mocha.  It is about a foot tall and 2 ft wide.  In the sun it turns mostly burgundy.  Thickly fleshy, but still rubbery.  Can sometimes be a dieback into upper zone 7, but is reliable in low zone 8a.  In less sun, it can have more green.  I also have a dyckia (or hechtia) from Argentina that I kept potted completely unprotected this past winter.  Never saw below 23 F probably, but many days of wet and freezing.  In shade it goes green/grey.  In mostly sun it goes burgundyish.

[Swolte]

With the mangaves, it really depends on the type. Pineapple express and macho mocha haven't been as hardy for me (though PE came back from roots after last winter with nothing but snow cover). They just start to look like crap in the winter. Blue Mammoth has been a real winner for me and I have a good feeling about Inca Warrior too (I have more but can't recall, atm). Hope that helps!

[Matt N- Dallas]

‘Kaleidoscope’ is a very colorful mangave and produces pups readily. 

[Dartolution]

I second the Kaleidoscope mangave. 

I got one from PDN last year I think, it has since put out 8 pups and while it died back to the ground this winter (15F and 36 hrs below freezing) it quickly returned as soon as the warmth came back. 

[Collectorpalms]

These were new plantings in the Dallas Arboretum test garden.

[Paradise Found]

Here a nice list of Mangave some of them are listed to 8a. 

https://www.succulentsandmore.com/2020/12/2020-mangave-roundup.html

[Merlyn]

I have a bunch of Mangaves.  Bloodspot, Tooth Fairy, Falling Waters, Macho Mocha, Pineapple Express, Frosted Elegance, Silver Fox, Crazy Cowlick, Inca Warrior, Aztec King, Blue Dart, Snow Leopard, Kaleidoscope, Lavender Lady, Mayan Queen, Mission to Mars, and Red Wing.  Only Kaleidoscope and Snow Leopard had issues with frost at 28F and 30F, but they bounced back pretty fast.  I've been using Mangaves to add color to my agave/aloe/cacti bed areas, since most of them are variations on yellow, red and purple.  It's a great contrast against agaves that are uniformly green/blue-green/silver.