Agave lophantha Quadricolour or the Century Plant is an attractive, small Agave that grows to around 60cms tall by a metre wide - smaller if kept in pots.
It has dark green leaves about 30cms long edged with yellow and having a pale green stripe along the middle.
The yellow edge stripes are highlighted by teeth that turn red when grown in bright light to give the leaf the four distinct colors of its variety name.
It takes many years to produce greenish yellow flowers which appear on the end of very tall spikes. As with most succulents they only flower once then die back, though new pups may well have formed before flowering starts.
This cultivar is generally quite hardy but does not like anything much under 5c so if you grow it in pots then bring it indoors on winter nights.
They go well in rockeries, borders and especially in pots and planters - though keep them away from passing traffic due to the spines.