Leaves turning towards the centre
The distinctive inward curve creates its unique, almost closed silhouette.
Mangave® 'Praying Hands' 13cm
Normal price
€24,00
What does the legal guarantee mean for plants?
The legal guarantee concerns the plant’s conformity at delivery. It is not a guarantee of survival or growth for two years. Each issue is assessed taking into account the nature of the plant, its care and the conditions in which it is kept. Your statutory rights remain unaffected.
Mangave® 'Praying Hands'
Every leaf in its place. Upright! ✋
- Asparagaceae
- Upright leaves
- Rounded architecture
- Dark margins
- Award-winning hybrid
Mangave® 'Praying Hands' is a sculptural succulent that turns the familiar rosette into a disciplined, almost closed form. Its many lance-shaped leaves curve towards the central axis, creating a symmetrical outline reminiscent of a teardrop or palms held together. Deep olive green, fine wine-red margins and a strong vertical movement make it unusual even within the already distinctive Mangave group.
Its presence is calm yet decisively architectural: it does not sprawl, disappear among other rosettes or wait years to look complete. This award-winning cultivar carries genuine collector weight and reads as a botanical design piece in its own right. It needs no flower to become the focal point of a considered succulent collection.
What makes it stand out
Three defining details that turn its botanical identity into real presence for a collection and interior.
Dark detail on an olive base
Wine-red edges and the terminal spine draw crisp lines across olive foliage.
Internationally recognised selection
Third place in the 2024 RHS Chelsea Plant of the Year confirmed its exceptional design character.
Why you’ll love it: it combines the discipline of sculpture, the texture of a rare hybrid and documented collector distinction.
In your spacePlacement & plant pairingsWhere it looks best and which plants complement it
Where it looks its best
Give it a leading role in a stable, simple pot with clear visual space around it. Its vertical lines look exceptional against a plain wall, natural stone or dark timber. In a grouped display, raise it slightly above lower rosettes so the rounded outline remains distinct.
Plants that complement it
Pair it with plants that genuinely share its light, substrate and seasonal rhythm. Separate pots keep care precise for each one.
- Agave victoriae-reginae — white markings and disciplined geometry in a different direction.
- Echeveria ‘Black Prince’ — a low dark rosette that emphasises Mangave height.
- Senecio serpens — low blue-glaucous foliage as a cool-toned base.
Care at a glance
Light
Abundant light and direct sun after careful acclimation.
Watering
Water deeply after the mix has dried well, never leaving the base wet.
Climate
Warm growth, strong airflow and protection from frost and winter wet.
Pets & children
It carries a firm terminal spine and sap may irritate; keep it out of contact.
For this plant
Substrate & nutrition
Detailed careComplete care guideLight, drying cycle, climate, substrate and feeding in detail
Light and position
Place it in the brightest safe position and increase direct sun in stages. Strong light keeps the leaves upright, the rosette closed and its margins dark.
Correct watering
Water evenly after the mix has dried well at depth. Let every excess drain away and do not retain water within the closed central leaves.
Airflow and humidity
Steady airflow protects the dense central axis. Avoid misting and positions where cold, damp air remains still around the base.
Temperature and seasonal rhythm
Active growth coincides with warmth and strong light. Water use drops sharply in cold conditions; protection from frost and wet winter mix is essential.
Substrate
Use a stable pot with an unobstructed drainage hole and a highly porous mix amended with coarse mineral material. Keep the rosette base above the surface.
Feeding, repotting and handling
Apply a diluted low-nitrogen cactus-and-succulent fertiliser only while new leaves are forming. A light application every few weeks of active growth is sufficient.
Botanical identityIdentity & natural originAccepted name, taxonomic history and natural or cultivated provenance
A documented cross
‘Praying Hands’ was hybridised on 7 July 2014 by Hans Hansen at Walters Gardens. The seed parent was × Mangave ‘Bloodspot’ and the pollen parent an Agave ocahui selection coded PDN #7.
A protected, stable selection
US plant patent USPP34508P2 documents the cultivar and its stable vegetative propagation through tissue culture. It is managed as a protected variety in Europe.
Chelsea recognition
It was presented at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show and placed third in Plant of the Year 2024. It is a nursery-bred hybrid with no wild distribution of its own.
From natural habitat to care: Agave ocahui contributes dense upright architecture shaped in bright, dry conditions, while the Mangave line brings a faster growth response. In a pot this means very strong light, rapid drainage and slightly more water during genuine growth, but never a persistently wet base.
Greenleaf for Plant NerdsScientific facts nobody asked forBotanical detail for anyone who wants to know what lies behind the plant’s appearance
The curve is an inherited trait
Leaf tips turn towards the central axis, producing the characteristic pear-shaped silhouette.
Around one hundred leaves at maturity
The patent describes a very dense mature form produced by short internodes and successive leaf formation.
Clonal propagation preserves identity
Tissue culture reproduces the same genetic individual, maintaining shape, colour and inward curvature.
The terminal spine remains functional
Although the margins carry few small teeth, the firm terminal spine protects the rosette centre.
Frequently asked questions
Useful answers about light, watering, seasonal rhythm and the plant’s correct identity.
01Is it an Agave or a Mangave?
It is a patented × Mangave hybrid from ‘Bloodspot’ and an Agave ocahui selection. The Mangave name reflects that hybrid origin.
02Why are the leaves opening outwards?
The form usually loosens in insufficient or one-sided light. Increase intensity gradually and rotate the pot for balanced new growth.
03How often should it be watered?
It does not follow a fixed calendar. Water after the porous mix has dried well and the pot feels lighter, then allow complete drainage.
04Does it tolerate cold?
It may tolerate brief cool conditions while dry, but a potted plant should be protected from frost. Cold combined with wet roots is the greater risk.
05Does it need frequent feeding?
No. Low-strength succulent fertiliser used only in active growth supports a steady pace without producing soft, excessive foliage.
06Is it safe to touch?
The terminal spine can puncture and sap from related agavoid plants may irritate sensitive skin. Wear gloves and keep it away from faces and animals.
📦 Your plant travels protected
Every order is prepared with care so your plant arrives upright, secure and safe.
Individual protection
Plants in pots with a capacity of 3 litres or more are placed in individual boxes that hold the pot securely and reduce the risk of tipping over.
Sturdy packaging
We use reinforced cardboard designed to protect against impacts and vibration during transport.