Agave (century plant)

About Agave (century plant)

Agaves are slow-growing succulents that make bold rosettes of thick, spine-tipped leaves, grown as living sculpture in dry, sunny yards, rock gardens and big pots (NC State, UF/IFAS). Century plant is native to Mexico and to Arizona, California, Texas, Louisiana and Florida; Parry's agave grows wild in Arizona, New Mexico and Texas, Havard's agave in Texas, lechuguilla in West Texas and southern New Mexico, and American agave from Illinois southwest to Texas (wildflower.org, NC State). Most rosettes bloom only once, after 10-25 years or more rather than 100, sending up a towering stalk and then dying, while pups at the base carry on (NC State, UF/IFAS). The sap burns and blisters skin and the leaf tips are needle-sharp, so plant it away from paths and wear gloves and long sleeves to work on it (Cutis, wildflower.org).

Century plant is hardy in zones 8-11 (NC State; UF/IFAS lists 9-11) and its leaves are scarred by winter lows in the teens (wildflower.org); Parry's agave takes zone 6 if it stays dry in winter, and American agave grows in zones 6-9 (NC State). UF/IFAS rates century plant 'not a problem species' in Florida.

When to plant

Timing is counted from your average last spring frost (and first fall frost). Sow & Tell works out the actual dates for your ZIP code.

Set out nursery plants or rooted pups in full sun and well-drained soil; UF/IFAS spaces agaves 3-5 ft apart, but century plant needs 6-12 ft (NC State). To make more, cut off well-rooted suckers at the base or grow from seed (UF/IFAS, NC State). Keep it well back from walks, patios and play areas because of the spines (wildflower.org).

Soil

Sharply drained sandy, gravelly or rocky soil of almost any pH; wet soil or overwatering causes root rot (NC State, UF/IFAS).

No rich soil needed: give it sharply drained sandy, gravelly or rocky ground, and fix drainage before planting rather than adding fertilizer (NC State, UF/IFAS).

Feeding

Overwatering and wet winter soil cause root rot; Parry's agave should get no winter water at all (NC State). Established plants need little irrigation (UF/IFAS). Watch for agave snout weevil, which tunnels into the base (NC State, UF/IFAS).

Harvest

Blooms in summer, usually only once per rosette: one stalk 15-30 ft tall with branched clusters of greenish-yellow flowers (NC State). The mother rosette dies afterward; cut it out carefully once it fades and let the pups fill in. Remove dead lower leaves as needed, wearing gloves (NC State, wildflower.org).

Varieties (12)

Extension and wildflower.org sources document these 12 agaves and named forms; we found no sourced list of 15.

Pests to watch for

Mealybugs, Scale insects, Slugs, Brown garden snail

Diseases and problems

Root rot

In the kitchen

Agave syrup, pulque and tequila come from particular agaves grown and processed commercially (NC State). We don't suggest eating garden agaves: wildflower.org warns that lechuguilla hearts are poisonous.

Safety: The sap is the main danger. It is packed with needle-like calcium oxalate crystals that cause fast burning, then redness, swelling and an itchy, blistering rash, often in streaks where it touched (Cutis 2003; NC State). Wear gloves and long sleeves when trimming leaves or removing pups, and wash off any sap. The leaf tips and edge teeth can stab people and pets; UF/IFAS notes you can clip the tips where children play.

Pets: Not listed by the ASPCA (no agave or century plant entry on its plant lists). NC State lists the leaves and sap as mildly poisonous (calcium oxalate) and skin-irritating, and wildflower.org warns the spines can hurt pets; lechuguilla has killed livestock that ate it in droughts.