About
Agave ovatifolia is a succulent perennial that forms rosettes reaching heights of up to 1.5 meters and spans approximately 2 meters in width. Its leaves are pale blue-green, nearly white, and are broad with an egg-like shape. The edges feature small teeth, while the tips end in sharp spines. When it flowers, it produces stalks that can grow between 1.5 to 2 meters tall, showcasing yellow-green blooms during the summer months.
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
- Chalk, Loam, Sand
- Soil pH
- Acid, Alkaline, Neutral
- Soil moisture
- Well-drained
- Aspect
- West-facing, South-facing, East-facing
- Exposure
- Sheltered
- UK hardiness
- H3
Plant details
- Plant type
- Cactus Succulent
- Habit
- Tufted
- Foliage
- Evergreen
- Height
- 1-1.5 metres
- Spread
- 1.5-2.5 metres
- Time to full height
- 10-20 years
- Suggested uses
- Architectural, City and courtyard gardens, Coastal, Gravel garden, Patio and container plants
- 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
- This species is more tolerant of cold and moist climates than many other species and can sometimes be grown in full sun in sharply drained dry soil; for more advice, see hardy cacti and succulent cultivation
- Pruning
- No pruning required
- Propagation
- Propagate by seed sown at 13-21°C in early spring (it does not produce offsets)
- Pest resistance
- May be susceptible to scale insects
- Disease resistance
- Generally disease-free