About

Agave montana is a perennial succulent that develops a rosette shape and can reach heights of approximately 1.5 meters. Its leaves are a muted grey-green, featuring reddish spines along the edges and tips. While it has not been extensively cultivated to determine its flowering behavior, in its natural habitat, it produces large, club-like flower spikes composed of dense clusters of yellow blossoms, which emerge from short branches atop a scaly trunk that can grow up to 5 meters tall.

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

Sand

Soil pH

Acid

Soil moisture

Well-drained

Aspect

West-facing, South-facing

Exposure

Sheltered

UK hardiness

H4

Plant details

Plant type

Cactus Succulent

Habit

Bushy

Foliage

Evergreen

Height

1-1.5 metres

Spread

1-1.5 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

Grow under glass in cactus compost in full light. Water freely in summer, giving a low-nitrogen feed three or four times. Water less in autumn and keep dry in winter. Hardier than most agaves, and may survive outdoors in a warm position in very well-drained, slightly acid soil in full sun. See hardy cacti and succulent cultivation for further information

Pruning

No pruning required

Propagation

Propagate by seed. Dies after flowering and does not produce offsets

Pest resistance

May be susceptible to scale insects

Disease resistance

Generally disease-free