Agave

How to choose the right agave

Size first, because the spread between varieties is enormous. At the small end, 'Dragon Toes' holds a neat rosette about 30cm tall and 45cm wide, the Queen Victoria Agave (Agave victoriae-reginae) makes a tight 40cm dome of white edged leaves, and the Blue Glow Agave sits at 45cm with fine red leaf margins. In the middle, Twin Flowered (Agave geminiflora) reaches 80cm, Galactic Traveller 90cm and 'El Miradores Gold' about 1m. The giants are Lions Tail (Agave salmiana var. ferox) and Agave americana 'Variegata', both 1.5m tall and 2.5m across, a genuine commitment in a small garden.

Frost is the second filter. Queen Victoria, Lions Tail and the variegated americana are fully frost hardy. The rest tolerate light frost only, so in cold inland and southern gardens choose from the hardy three, or keep the tender types in pots you can shift under an eave for winter.

Where these sculptural succulents work

They suit arid, Mediterranean, warm temperate and subtropical gardens, Perth and Adelaide through Sydney up to Brisbane. In the humid tropics drainage decides everything, and 'Dragon Toes' is the safest listing here. Use them in rockeries and gravel gardens, raised beds, large pots and courtyards. Most varieties handle coastal salt and wind, several are rated for poolside planting, and all pair naturally with the wider succulent and cactus range. One caution: leaf tips are sharp and the sap irritates skin, so set every rosette its mature width back from paths and pool edges.

Planting and spacing

Full sun and free draining soil are the whole recipe. In clay, mound the bed 200mm to 300mm or grow in pots instead. Plant the rosette slightly proud of the soil, mulch with gravel rather than bark, and water in once. For a massed display, Blue Glow goes 600mm apart. Space others at about their mature width, and leave the full 2.5m clear around Lions Tail and the americana; relocating an established one is a job for thick gloves.

Care that amounts to very little

Water deeply every week or two through the first summer, then leave established plants to the rain in all but the driest inland gardens. Humid summer overwatering kills far more agaves than drought. Feed lightly in spring if at all, and remove spent lower leaves at the base wearing gloves. The honest trade off is pace: these are slow growers, so buy close to the size you want, and our drought tolerant plants make quicker companions around them.

Common questions

Do agaves die after flowering?

Most do. A rosette flowers once at the end of its life, often after a decade or more, sends up a tall spike, then dies. Many varieties leave pups around the base that grow on to replace the parent.

Which agave is best for pots?

The compact, slow types: Queen Victoria, Blue Glow and 'Dragon Toes'. Use a wide unglazed pot barely larger than the rosette, a free draining succulent mix, and water only when the mix is fully dry.

Are agaves safe around pets and children?

No. The sap is a skin irritant and the leaf tips are genuinely sharp, so plant them away from pet runs and play areas. For gardens with animals, start with our pet friendly plant range instead.

How does delivery work?

Everything here is delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95 and no minimum order. Advanced and large stock is freighted at cost, and every plant carries our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.