Dragon Toes Agave

Dragon Toes Agave (Agave 'Dragon Toes') is a small sculptural rosette for the spots where nothing else survives: a west facing courtyard, a gravel bed, a pot on an exposed balcony. It stays compact at about 30cm tall and 45cm wide, with thick blue green leaves edged in dark teeth that give the plant its name. It needs sun, sharp drainage and almost nothing else.

Why you'll love it

• It stays small. At roughly 30cm tall and 45cm across it holds the architectural agave look without the two metre monster a mature century plant becomes.
• Genuinely low maintenance. No pruning, no feeding schedule, no staking. Sun and drainage are the whole requirement.
• Tough in every direction that matters. Drought tolerant, heat tolerant, salt tolerant and content in poor soil, so hot paving and coastal wind are both survivable.
• Structure through the year. The compact rosette and slow growth mean a container plant looks right for years, and it looks the same in July as in January.

Where it works best

Pots, balconies and courtyards. One rosette in a 300mm to 400mm pot of cactus and succulent mix makes a clean focal point, and it tolerates the reflected heat that kills most container plants against a wall.

Rockeries, gravel and coastal gardens. Set among stone with sharp drainage underneath, it reads as a deliberate specimen, and salt tolerance suits an exposed coastal block. Allow at least 600mm of clear space around each plant so you are not reaching over the leaves.

Growing Dragon Toes Agave in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun. It suits arid and semi-arid, Mediterranean, warm temperate, subtropical and tropical gardens, which is most of the country. It takes light frost only, so in cold inland and tableland districts grow it in a pot that can move under cover for winter.

Soil. Sharp drainage is not negotiable. Use a cactus and succulent mix in pots, or open heavy garden soil up with coarse sand and gravel and plant on a raised mound. Poor soil is fine. Wet soil kills it.

Water and feed. Water deeply but rarely: roughly every two to three weeks through summer once established, and little to nothing over winter. Let the mix dry right through between waterings. A weak liquid feed once in spring is plenty.

Handling and safety. The leaf tips are sharp and the sap irritates skin, so wear gloves and long sleeves when planting or dividing. Keep it away from paths, doorways and play areas where someone could brush against it.

What to expect when it arrives

It is grown in two sizes. The 300mm pot is a single established rosette, ready to go straight into a decorative container or a gravel bed. The 200mm pack of six suits a repeated planting through a rockery or a run of matching pots.

Few plants travel better than an agave. The thick leaves hold their own moisture, so plants arrive in good order. Leave a new plant somewhere bright for a week before the first water, then be sparing. It is a slow grower, so expect it to improve in character rather than shoot away. Delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95, and every plant is covered by our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Comparing agave varieties
• Browse the full agave range
• See the wider succulent collection
• Choosing the right size pot

Common questions

Is it a hazard around children or pets?

The leaf tips are sharp and the sap irritates skin. Keep it out of narrow paths and away from areas where children play or a dog runs, and wear gloves when handling it.

How often should I water it?

Roughly every two to three weeks in summer once established, and almost never in winter. Let the mix dry all the way through first. Soft, yellowing or collapsing leaves mean too much water, not too little.

Does it flower?

Only once, at the end of the rosette's life, and the flowers are insignificant. The parent rosette dies after flowering, which is normal for agaves, and offsets carry the plant on.