About
Agave attenuata is a succulent perennial that forms a dense rosette of soft, pale green leaves atop a sturdy stem. In the summer, a curved stalk bearing yellow flowers may rise from the rosette, reaching heights of up to 1.5 meters.
About the genus
Agave consists of either perennial or monocarpic succulents that develop rosettes of typically stiff, thick, spiny leaves. The plants produce funnel-shaped flowers in racemes or panicles that often exceed the height of the rosettes.
Growing conditions
- Sunlight
- Full sun
- Soil type
- Loam, Sand
- Soil pH
- Acid
- Soil moisture
- Well-drained
- Aspect
- West-facing, South-facing
- Exposure
- Sheltered
- UK hardiness
- H1C
Plant details
- Plant type
- Cactus Succulent, Conservatory Greenhouse
- Habit
- Bushy
- Foliage
- Evergreen
- Height
- 1-1.5 metres
- Spread
- 1.5-2.5 metres
- Time to full height
- 10-20 years
- Suggested uses
- Gravel garden, Patio and container plants, Architectural, City and courtyard gardens, Sub-tropical
- Native to
- Mexico
- Toxicity
- Skin irritant. Wear gloves and other protective equipment when handling. Pets (dogs, cats): harmful if eaten. For further information and contact numbers regarding pets, see the HTA guide to potentially harmful plants
Care notes
- Cultivation
- Frost tender, so in most locations, this perennial can only be grown outdoors in summer. Use a free-draining compost. Grow under glass in cactus compost in full light. Water less in autumn and keep dry in winter. See houseplant cacti and succulent cultivation for more advice
- Pruning
- No pruning required
- Propagation
- Propagate by offsets
- Pest resistance
- May be susceptible to scale insects
- Disease resistance
- Generally disease-free