Agave schidigera ‘Shira Ito No Ohi’

Eye catching, solitary rosette. Stiff variegated leaves are marked with white leaf imprints and have attractive curling threads.
height 10–14in
width 1–2ft
tolerates Drought, Heat, Pots, Rooftops, Neglect, Wind
water
needs		 Low
water
info		 Like most agave plants this plant is extremely drought tolerant, and needs no supplemental irrigation in coastal California. It will, however, look better and grow faster if given additional water, especially during summer.
hardy
to		 15F
exposure Part Shade – Full Sun
indoor
outdoor		 Outdoor
drainage In Ground: Cactus Mix, In Pots: Cactus Mix, Tolerates Sandy Soil
fertilizing All Purpose 1/2 Strength, Low Needs
origin Hybrid
sunset
zones		 8, 9, 11–23

Sunset Zones Map

Outdoor Exposure Guide

Growing Notes

This agave is monocarpic, meaning that a head will grow larger and larger over time, building up energy, then send off a spectacular flower, after which it will decline and die.
If you like the look of agaves, 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.
Agaves, even very large ones, are a great choice to grow in a pot. Agaves 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. Sometimes they get very rootbound, and it can be beneficial to bottom water, setting them in a saucer of water for a day.