Agave appraisal guide

What determines the price

• Size and Plant Fullness

  High

  The more leaves present and the larger and fuller the overall plant, the higher its evaluation. Even among the same variety, large specimens cultivated over many years are rare.

• Compactness (Leaf Density)

  High

  Plants with tightly spaced leaves and a rosette that forms a compact, "tight" structure are highly valued as evidence of good cultivation skill. Plants with etiolation (excessive stretching) receive lower evaluations.

• Serration shape and quantity

  High

  The thicker and longer the serrations on the leaf margin, and the more prominently they protrude left and right, the higher the ornamental value is considered. Serration appearance varies by lineage.

• Rooting status

  Medium

  Plants with well-developed roots have lower transplant establishment risk after repotting and can be traded with greater confidence compared to unrooted specimens (bare cuttings).

• Origin (seedling / division and import / domestic cultivation)

  Medium

  The origin itself influences price—divisions that inherit parent plant characteristics, superior lineages with stable traits, and plants long-acclimated domestically.

Appraisal points

Observe rosette symmetry

Good:

Leaves radiate evenly from the center, forming symmetrically when viewed from above.

Caution:

Leaves leaning to one side or the center offset indicate uneven growing conditions.

Observe serration continuity

Good:

Serrations follow the leaf margin at uniform intervals with minimal gaps.

Caution:

Missing or asymmetrical serrations may indicate shipping damage or poor cultivation.

Check plant base and rooting

Good:

The plant base is stable with no wobbling in the soil, and white new roots are visible.

Caution:

Bare cuttings that are unstable or have not fully dried cut surfaces require accounting for transplant establishment risk.

Appraisal quiz

Appraisal by breed