Agave Encyclopedia
Encyclopedia of popular agave varieties with traits, care guides, and pricing.
Featured Agave
Showing 6 of 139 species
© Agnieszka Kwiecień, Nova / CC BY-SA 4.0Agave americana 'Mediopicta Alba'
Agave americana var. mediopicta f. alba
A centre-striped form of Agave americana: each blue-green leaf carries one broad creamy-white band down the middle. Smaller than the species, yet still a large, eye-catching agave.
Agave Gentryi
Agave gentryi
An agave from the Sierra Madre of Mexico. Forms wide green rosettes with finely serrated leaf margins. Relatively large species; monocarpic, dying after flowering.
Agave ovatifolia 'Vanzie'
Agave ovatifolia 'Vanzie'
A clonal selection of the whale's tongue agave with folded undersides, wavy scalloped edges and small teeth on broad silver-blue leaves. Fast-growing and tolerant of cold, damp winters.
© Stan Shebs / CC BY-SA 3.0Agave vilmoriniana (Octopus agave)
Agave vilmoriniana
A large agave whose long, narrow green leaves arch and twist toward the ground like octopus arms. The leaves lack obvious teeth, and instead of offsets it produces bulbils on the flower stalk.
© marumg / CC BY-SA 4.0Weber's Agave
Agave weberi
A large agave with relatively few spines. Hardy common species used in gardens and public landscaping.
Whale's Tongue Agave
Agave ovatifolia
A large agave with wide round leaves like whale's tongue. High cold tolerance with beautiful blue-white leaves.
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Agave FAQ
- How much do agave cost?
- Small Titanota seedlings cost 2,000-10,000 yen, medium plants 10,000-50,000 yen, and select or rare varieties like Hakugei and Caesar can exceed 100,000 yen. Prices vary greatly by variety and condition.
- Can beginners grow agave?
- Agaves are drought-tolerant and hardy, making them easy for beginners. Place in a sunny spot with well-draining soil, and they're quite hard to fail with.
- What are the key points for growing agave?
- Sunlight, airflow, and drainage are the three essentials. Provide direct sunlight, use pumice or akadama-based soil, and water only when the pot is completely dry.
- What should I check when buying agave?
- Check whether it's rooted, leaves are developing healthily, and lower leaves aren't excessively dried. Imported bare-root plants require root establishment, so beginners should start with rooted domestically grown seedlings.
- How long do agave live?
- Agaves grow over decades and bloom only once in their lifetime before dying. However, they produce offsets, so with proper care you can enjoy them across generations.