Agave tequilana. Credit: Stan Shebs, Wikimedia
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Agave: The Star of Low-Maintenance Gardening
Looking for a plant that’s as captivating as it is low-maintenance? Meet the agave, a stunning succulent known for its dramatic, sculptural leaves and remarkable adaptability.
Native to arid climates, agave plants are masters of thriving in tough conditions, making them a favorite for gardeners and plant enthusiasts alike.
In this care guide, you’ll learn everything you need to keep your succulent thriving, from choosing the perfect variety to their watering, sunlight, and soil needs.
Let’s explore the secrets to growing these showstoppers and discover why agave deserves a place in your plant collection.
What is an Agave Plant?
Agave, sometimes known as a century plant, is a long-lived desert denizen whose stunningly exotic species number more than 200. Each species has a lot of variety; most have large, pointy-tipped leaves ranging in size depending on the species.
Some are palm-sized, others can grow over 20 feet tall by the time they flower!
Its flowers bloom only once in its lifetime, from their 6th to 30th year, and indicate that the plant’s end is near.
The mast (or stalk or stem) rises up to 20 feet tall, the flowers bloom, and in most cases, the plant then dies. Plants that go through this process are termed “monocarpic.” At this point, next-generation offshoots, aka “pups,” can be replanted to start the growing cycle anew.
Agave, native to Mexico and the southwestern United States and often mistaken for yucca, produces twisting, speared, splayed, and spiking leaves that set a spectacular scene. After becoming established, agaves thrive on neglect.
Wear protective gloves when handling agave, and be aware that because its leaf tips are mildly toxic, they should be cut off in landscapes frequented by children.
Growing
Care Requirements
Agave plants are very hard and easy to care for; in fact, they probably thrive on neglect once the initial phase of growing them has started!
Having said that, optimal conditions still exist, of course, to encourage healthy and vibrant growth.
Light: Agave thrives in full sun but can tolerate some late afternoon shade.
Soil: Use a mixture made from equal parts potting mix, compost, gravel, pumice, or sand. Or, use a cactus mix.
Water: Water once a week during the hottest part of the summer and less often during cool seasons. Allow the soil to dry out by at least half between waterings.
Fertilizer: In spring, apply a light dose of balanced, granular, slow-release fertilizer, if desired. Note that fertilizer may encourage blooming, which will result in the plant’s demise.
Temperature and Humidity: These plants don’t like a lot of humidity, it’ll lead to crown rot. Nor do they like frost, so prefer to be grown in zones 8 or 9. If you plan on growing them outside these zones, make sure you overwinter them indoors.
Repotting
Repot every year or so to replenish the soil and enable root pruning. This is essential for maintaining a healthy plant and allowing it space to grow. Although agaves are shallow-rooted, the size of a container should complement the scale of the plant.
Each year, choose a pot slightly larger than the current one and always make sure it has plenty of drainage holes. To repot it, gently remove the agave plant from its container and shake off any excess soil from the roots (wear gloves—some of them have really spiky, sharp spines!).
Inspect the roots, trim any damaged or rotting roots, and then replant them in the new pot in a cactus mix. Water the plant sparingly over the first few days while it readjusts to its new environment, and place it in bright but indirect sunlight.
Propagating
Propagating these plants is a really straightforward process. They grow offsets, or ‘pups,’ around the base of the parent plant, and you’ll want to remove these to start new plants.
This is not only a really cheap way to start more plants, but it also prevents the mother plant from becoming overcrowded.
Again, you’ll need to wear gloves, as many species have thorns and spikes. Gently loosen the soil around the pup and carefully separate it from the main plant. You can either gently twist it, and it should come off easily, or use a sharp knife.
Let the pup dry out for a few days in a dark area; you should notice a callus forming. Once this happens, follow the instructions above for planting agave.
If you leave the container in a warm, bright indoor spot, new root growth should occur in 2 to 3 weeks.
If you’re planting agave outside, be warned - it spreads rapidly! If you want to keep them contained to a certain area, make sure you remove the pups and offshoots as soon as they start.
How to Get Agave to Bloom
Most people don’t want to know the answer to this question because agave only blooms once in its life, and that’s a sure sign that it is close to the end of its life.
When it enters its bloom, it lasts 3 or 4 months and is quite spectacular to see! It begins by sending a giant stalk upwards from the center of the plant, growing up to 20 feet tall. Some species can reach up to 35 feet tall!
All the way up the stem, flowers will bloom, and each one lasts a month or so. When the blooming finishes, the plant dies soon after. Now you know why no one really wants to encourage an agave plant to bloom!
However, just for the curious amongst you, giving plenty of fertilizer will encourage it to bloom early.
Types
Agave plants come in a wide variety of shapes and sizes, each with its own unique characteristics. Some are small and compact, great for growing indoors; others are large and dramatic to make a bold statement in outdoor landscapes. Here are some of the most popular types to help you choose the right variety.
- Agave americana ‘Variegata’: hardy in Zones 8 to 11; 5 to 8 feet tall, 10 to 15 feet wide; the name refers to the color of its blue-gray leaves, which have yellow edges in a rosette growth pattern; produces yellow-green flowers; pups emerge from the base.
- Agave attenuata, aka foxtail agave: hardy in Zones 10 and 11; 2 to 3 feet tall, 3 to 6 feet wide; pale blue to yellow-green spineless leaves; the name refers to its arching stalk 10 or more feet long, on which form rosettes that eventually turn into thousands of yellow-green flowers.
- Agave lophantha, ‘Quadricolor’: hardy in Zones 8 to 10; 12 to 18 inches tall, up to 2 feet wide; the name refers to the hues of its red-tooth leaves, which have dark green centers, pale green stripes, and yellow edges; in cold temperatures, leaves turn pink to red; produces yellow flowers; offsets can be taken in spring or autumn.
- Agave ovatifolia, aka whale’s tongue agave: hardy in Zones 7 to 11; 3 to 4 feet tall, 4 to 6 feet wide; name describes the rosette of slightly cupped, powdery blue to gray leaves with small teeth; produces yellow-green flowers on 14-foot stalk after 10 years; reproduces by seed and bulbils.
- Agave parryi, aka Parry’s agave: hardy in Zones 7 to 10; 1 to 3 feet tall, 1 to 3 feet wide; slate-gray/blue foliage forms a tight whirling rosette of toothed leaves; produces yellow flowers on 10- to 20-foot-tall stalks; offsets grow from the base.
- Agave vilmoriniana, aka octopus agave: hardy in Zones 9 to 11; 3 to 4 feet tall, 5 to 6 feet wide; toothless, gray-green, undulating leaves resemble octopi tentacles; produces golden yellow flowers on 10- to 20-foot stalk; plantlets form along the bloom mast
Wit and Wisdom
- The name “agave” comes from the Greek agavos, meaning “illustrious” or “admirable.”
- American agave, A. americana, is one of the agave species sometimes known by the common name “century plant.” This misnomer stems from a previous (inaccurate) belief that the plant bloomed only after 100 years had passed.
Catherine Boeckmann
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