BP1B: name_key = agave-havardiana
upc =
name_key = agave-havardiana
QUERY = SELECT * FROM upc_36 WHERE name_key = :name_key LIMIT 1
Record found = TRUE

Agave havardiana

Havard’s century plant
Glaucous blue grey leaves have contrasting black spines that leave a decorative imprint on the leaves as they emerge. Well proportioned and cold hardy. Occasionally suckering once mature.
height 3–4ft
width 4–5ft
tolerates Drought, Pots, Rooftops, Neglect, Wind
water
needs		 Low
water
info		 Agave are extremely drought tolerant, and many need no supplemental irrigation in coastal California. They will however look better and grow faster if they are given additional water, especially during summer.
hardy
to		 15F
exposure Full Sun
indoor
outdoor		 Outdoor
fertilizing All Purpose, Low Needs
origin USA, TX
california
native		 No
sunset
zones		 1

Sunset Zones Map

Outdoor Exposure Guide

Growing Notes

Most agave are monocarpic, meaning that a head will grow larger and larger over time, building up energy, then send off a spectacular flower and afterward decline and die. With pupping varieties, they grow from stolons at the base, constantly replacing the older bloomed out heads with new ones, which then grow larger and flower, continuing the life cycle.
Take care when pruning or removing agave, as many have a toxic sap that causes inflammation and rashing. Removing spent agave heads can also be tricky as they are often ringed with other armed agave. If you like the look of agave, but are threatened by the terminal spikes they can be removed. It’s easiest to cut these off when they are coming out of the rosette as you’ll be able to prune the thorns off many layers of leaves at one time.
You can ‘pineapple’ your agave, by removing the lowest leaves. This is best started while it is out of the nursery can, but before planting, when you can access leaves from the bottom. This gives the plant a short trunk, textured similar to many palms, and allows you to get under the plant for weeding or removing pups.
Agave, even very large ones, are surprisingly well suited to pot culture. Agave that would normally be ten feet in the ground tend to settle into even small pots and stay in harmonious balance. Every few years, if they start to stall, you can remove them and trim back a third of the roots and remove any pups. Sometimes they get very root bound and it can be beneficial to bottom water, setting them in a saucer of water for a day.

Special Interest

At the end of life this agave makes a 12’ branched yellow flower spike.