Agave Encyclopedia
Encyclopedia of popular agave varieties with traits, care guides, and pricing.
Featured Agave
Showing 11 of 139 species
Agave 'Blue Ember'
Agave 'Blue Ember'
A hybrid with powdery blue-grey leaves set off by dark to reddish margins and sharp spines. Its parentage has not been published, and some think it may be the same plant as the very similar 'Burnt Burgundy'.
Agave 'Sho-Time' (A. ovatifolia × victoriae-reginae)
Agave ovatifolia × victoriae-reginae 'Sho-Time'
A cross of Agave ovatifolia and A. victoriae-reginae. Thick, ovate leaves carry crisp white bud imprints that differ on every plant, and it inherits cold tolerance from ovatifolia.
© 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 Chrysantha
Agave chrysantha
Native to Arizona. Named 'golden flower' for its yellow blooms. Bright green leaves with small teeth. Cold-hardy and easy to grow.
Agave Horrida
Agave horrida
Native to Mexico. Dark green fleshy leaves lined with sharp black teeth give a wild appearance. More cold-hardy than Titanota and adapts well to Japan's climate. Somewhat slow-growing.
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.
© Krzysztof Golik / CC BY-SA 4.0Agave parryi var. huachucensis
Agave parryi var. huachucensis
A variety of Agave parryi: a tight, rounded rosette of short, broad grey leaves tipped with prominent brown spines. It suckers freely into clumps and is cold-hardy enough for garden planting.
Agave Potrerana
Agave potrerana
Native to northern Mexico. Slender leaves form sharp rosettes. Gray-green leaves with small spines. Excellent cold hardiness and relatively easy cultivation.
Agave Scabra
Agave scabra
Native to Texas and northern Mexico. Named for its rough leaf surface. Thick blue-gray leaves with black teeth. Similar to Americana but more compact.
Agave Schidigera
Agave schidigera
Beautiful agave producing numerous white filaments along leaf margins. Similar to Filifera but with harder leaves and more prominent teeth. Cold-hardy enough for ground planting.
© Тајга / CC BY-SA 4.0Agave univittata 'Quadricolor' (Goshiki Bandai)
Agave univittata 'Quadricolor'
A variegated cultivar with dark green leaves edged yellow and striped pale green down the centre; red teeth and winter flush make four colours. It suckers freely and is fairly cold-hardy for an agave.
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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.