Alphabetical Plant Listing

Agave


Agave plants are popular for landscaping because they are rich in many qualities and have a striking architectural appearance.

What are Agave Plants?

Agave is a genus of about 300 species of succulent plants that are native to arid regions of the Americas, particularly Mexico and the southwestern United States. It belongs to the asparagus family, Asparagaceae, along with asparagusyuccabluebell, hosta, and some houseplants.

Agave plants are evergreen succulents with handsome rosettes of usually thick, rigid, fleshy leaves with marginal teeth and often a sharp terminal spine.

Diversity: Agave plants exist in a wide range of sizes and colors and offer an amazing array of leaf shapes. Some make incredible landscape specimens, creating year-round interest. Smaller varieties are ideal to add drama, texture, and color to containers. They are all fascinating.

Foliage: One of the most distinctive features of agaves is their foliage, which is typically thick and fleshy, with spiny edges or tips. The leaves can range in color from blue-gray to green to variegated, and some species have striking patterns or markings.

Long-lived: Agaves can take several years, even up to 30 years, to flower and produce seeds. This is why they are known as "century plants".

Flowers: A blooming Agave is a sight to behold when it is topped with a magnificent flowering spike that can reach 15 ft. (5m) and bears colorful flower clusters. Most Agaves are monocarpic: they flower once and die thereafter. However, it may take several years for this to happen, and many agaves produce offsets that will happily replace the dead plant.

Guide Information

Hardiness 7 - 11
Heat Zones 5 - 12
Plant Type Cactus - Succulents
Plant Family Agave
Exposure Full Sun, Partial Sun
Season of Interest Spring (Early,Mid,Late)
Summer (Early,Mid,Late)
Fall
Winter
Water Needs Low
Maintenance Low
Soil Type Loam, Sand
Soil pH Acid, Alkaline, Neutral
Soil Drainage Well-Drained
Characteristics Showy
Tolerance Deer, Drought, Dry Soil, Rocky Soil
Attracts Birds, Hummingbirds
Landscaping Ideas Banks and Slopes, Beds and Borders, Patio and Containers
Garden Styles City and Courtyard, Coastal Garden, Gravel and Rock Garden, Mediterranean Garden

(c) Gerhard Bock, SucculentsandMore.com

While every effort has been made to describe these plants accurately, please keep in mind that height, bloom time, and color may differ in various climates. The description of these plants has been written based on numerous outside resources.

Guide Information

Hardiness 7 - 11
Heat Zones 5 - 12
Plant Type Cactus - Succulents
Plant Family Agave
Exposure Full Sun, Partial Sun
Season of Interest Spring (Early,Mid,Late)
Summer (Early,Mid,Late)
Fall
Winter
Water Needs Low
Maintenance Low
Soil Type Loam, Sand
Soil pH Acid, Alkaline, Neutral
Soil Drainage Well-Drained
Characteristics Showy
Tolerance Deer, Drought, Dry Soil, Rocky Soil
Attracts Birds, Hummingbirds
Landscaping Ideas Banks and Slopes, Beds and Borders, Patio and Containers
Garden Styles City and Courtyard, Coastal Garden, Gravel and Rock Garden, Mediterranean Garden
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