Lions Tail Agave

Lions Tail Agave (Agave attenuata) is the agave for people who want the sculptural rosette without the spines. Its leaves are soft, pliable and pale grey green, with no teeth along the edges and no spine at the tip, so it can sit beside a path, a pool or a front door where other agaves cannot. Each rosette reaches about a metre across on a short, stout trunk, and the plant slowly builds into a clump.

Why you'll love it

• No spines at all. Soft leaves with nothing to jab children, pets or anyone brushing past, which is rare in a plant this architectural.
• Sculpture on very little water. Once established it gets by on rainfall in most coastal gardens, with a deep drink in long dry spells.
• Outstanding in pots. One of the best succulents for a large container on a patio, a balcony or beside an entry.
• Coastal and poolside tough. Salt tolerant, comfortable in reflected heat near paving, and it drops almost no litter into a pool.

Where it works best

Pots and entries. A wide, heavy pot shows off the rosette and keeps the plant movable, which matters in cooler districts where it needs shelter in winter.

Poolside and paths. With no spines it can be planted right beside a pool surround, a path or a seating area.

Mass planting and modern gardens. Repeated in groups of three or five in gravel or low groundcover it gives a clean, contemporary look, and it sits just as comfortably among palms and cordylines in a tropical style garden.

Growing Lions Tail Agave in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun to part shade on the coast. In hot inland gardens give it afternoon shade, because the soft leaves can scorch. It suits subtropical, warm temperate and frost free Mediterranean gardens. It is frost tender: a cold night marks the leaves and a hard frost can kill the plant, so in frost prone areas grow it in a pot that can be moved under cover, or in a sheltered spot beneath eaves.

Soil. Free draining soil is what matters. Sandy and gravelly ground is ideal. On clay, plant on a raised mound with coarse sand and gravel through the backfill, and never mulch tight against the base.

Water and feed. Water weekly through the first summer to settle the roots, then only in long dry spells. It takes more water than most agaves and looks better for it in summer, provided the drainage is good. It needs little feeding in open ground. In a pot, a light dose of controlled release fertiliser in spring is plenty.

Pruning and handling. Pull or cut away old lower leaves as they brown, which shows off the trunk. The sap can irritate skin, so wear gloves. Offsets that form around the base can be cut off and potted up, or left to build the clump.

What to expect when it arrives

It comes in two sizes: 200mm pots sold in packs of six, and single 300mm pots. The 200mm plants are young rosettes, useful for mass planting or a run of pots, while a 300mm plant already reads as a feature.

Agaves travel well, because the leaves carry their own water. Growth is moderate, so allow a few years for a full sized rosette. Delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95, and every plant carries our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Compare the full agave range.
• Choosing between the main agave varieties.
• Browse plants suited to rockeries.
• See other succulents for hot, dry gardens.

Common questions

Is it safe around children and pets?

It has no spines or teeth, which is why it is the agave chosen for paths, pool surrounds and play areas. The sap can irritate skin and the plant should not be eaten, so wear gloves when cutting it and keep pets that chew plants away from it.

Does it die after flowering?

After many years a mature rosette sends up a long, arching spike of pale greenish yellow flowers, the curved shape that gives the plant its name. That rosette is spent afterwards, and the offsets around its base carry the planting on.

How much space does it need?

Allow about 1.5m for a single plant. Each rosette reaches around a metre across and the clump widens slowly as offsets form, so give a group planting room to grow together.

Can it take frost?

No. It is one of the least cold tolerant agaves. Light frost scars the leaves and a hard frost can kill it, so in cold districts keep it in a pot and move it under cover for winter.