Agave plants are striking succulents, prized for their bold, architectural forms and exceptional resilience. These plants, often incorrectly called “century plants,” feature thick, fleshy leaves arranged in a rosette, making them desirable ornamental additions to landscapes and containers. Their ability to store water allows them to endure prolonged periods of drought, reflecting their native origins in the Americas. Acquiring an agave requires knowing where to find healthy specimens and understanding the factors that determine compatibility with its new environment.
Primary Sources for Purchasing Agave Plants
The source of your agave purchase influences the variety selection, price, and overall health. Specialty succulent and cactus nurseries offer the most diverse selection, often stocking rare cultivars and cold-tolerant species. These independent retailers employ knowledgeable staff who provide tailored advice on mature size and hardiness ratings, justifying their generally higher price points.
Online retailers and mail-order nurseries provide access to a broader inventory, making them the primary source for collectors seeking unusual or non-local species. This avenue is useful for finding specific hybrids or less common varieties. However, purchasing online introduces the risk of shipping stress and potential damage to the plant’s root system or sharp leaf tips during transit.
Large garden centers and big box stores offer convenience and lower prices, stocking common species like Agave americana or readily available hybrids. The quality of the plant stock can be inconsistent, and the selection is often limited to the most widely propagated, less cold-tolerant varieties. Specialized advice and rare finds available at specialty sources are often absent.
Choosing the Best Agave Species for Your Location
Selecting the right agave begins with evaluating your climate, specifically your USDA Hardiness Zone, to ensure the plant can survive winter temperatures. Agave species exhibit a wide range of cold tolerance. For instance, the Chisos Agave (Agave havardiana) and Agave neomexicana are among the most cold-hardy, surviving temperatures as low as -20°F in Zone 5.
Other popular species require moderate protection or container growth in cooler regions, such as the Queen Victoria Agave (Agave victoriae-reginae), which is hardy down to about 10°F. Evaluating the mature size of the plant is also important. An Agave americana can reach up to ten feet tall and thirteen feet wide, requiring ample space.
For smaller gardens or container culture, compact varieties are a better choice, such as the Artichoke Agave (Agave parryi var. truncata) or Agave victoriae-reginae. Matching the plant’s ultimate dimensions to the available space prevents the need for disruptive transplanting.
Essential Steps When Inspecting and Transporting Your New Plant
Prior to purchase, a detailed inspection of the agave is necessary to confirm its health and freedom from pests. Examine the leaves for discoloration, soft spots, or a lack of turgidity, which may indicate poor health or overwatering.
A specific threat is the agave snout weevil (Scyphophorus acupunctatus), a beetle whose larvae burrow into the plant’s core. Look for pinprick holes near the base of the central rosette or leaves that appear suddenly drooping or collapsing, as these are signs of a weevil infestation.
Also, check the undersides of leaves and the leaf axils for common succulent pests like mealybugs, which appear as small, white, cottony masses. Selecting a plant that is firm, uniformly colored, and shows healthy new growth from the center minimizes the risk of introducing a pathogen or pest into your garden.
Transporting the spiky plant home requires careful handling to protect both the agave and the handler. The sharp terminal spine on many agave leaves can easily pierce skin or damage other foliage, so use a sturdy box or blanket to secure the plant and contain its leaves.
If the plant is moved during cold weather, protect it from cold shock. Wrap the foliage in a breathable material like burlap or newspaper, limiting its exposure to extreme temperature drops during transit. Securing the pot upright in the vehicle is also important to prevent the plant from tipping and spilling its soil.