About
Agave schidigera is a perennial succulent that develops a rosette composed of slender, grey-green or occasionally yellow-green leaves. These leaves are characterized by coarse white hairs along the edges and brown spines that transition to grey at the tips. They are generally thin and pliable, often displaying markings from bud imprints. When fully grown, this species can send up a tall flowering spike, which may bear yellow-green or purple blooms; following this flowering event, the main rosette will die.
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, Partial shade
- Soil type
- Loam, Sand
- Soil pH
- Acid, Neutral
- Soil moisture
- Well-drained
- Aspect
- East-facing, South-facing, West-facing
- Exposure
- Exposed, Sheltered
- UK hardiness
- H2
Plant details
- Plant type
- Cactus Succulent, Conservatory Greenhouse
- Habit
- Bushy
- Foliage
- Evergreen
- Height
- 0.5-1 metres
- Spread
- 0.5-1 metres
- Time to full height
- 10-20 years
- Suggested uses
- City and courtyard gardens, Coastal, Cottage and informal garden, Gravel garden, Patio and container plants, 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, water freely when in growth, but keep almost dry over winter. Apply a dilute, liquid fertiliser 3 or 4 times during the growing season. Can be moved to a sunny spot outdoors in summer, but needs to overwinter in a greenhouse or conservatory. In very hot summers, may benefit from light afternoon shade to prevent scorching. See houseplant cacti and succulent cultivation for more advice
- Pruning
- No pruning required
- Propagation
- Propagate by seed, sown at 21°C in early spring
- Pest resistance
- May be susceptible to scale insects
- Disease resistance
- Generally disease-free