Actual size and flowering may vary slightly based on season.
Agave chiapensis
Agave chiapensis is a medium-sized agave from the mountains of Chiapas and Oaxaca in southern Mexico. It forms a spreading rosette of broad, light green leaves edged with teeth and tipped with a strong spine, about 2 to 3 feet tall and wide. It grows in full sun to part shade and likes some light shade in the Valley's summer heat. It fits a shaded corner of a desert bed or a large patio pot.
Best for: a light shade spot in a desert bed, large patio pots that can move on frost nights, and a green rosette accent.
It grows in full sun to part shade, and in the Valley it does best with some light shade in summer. Pick a spot that gets a break from the strongest afternoon sun.
It grows well in a container, and a pot lets you move it to a sheltered spot by the house on frost nights. Use a fast draining mix and let it dry between waterings.
Its spreading rosette of broad, light green leaves grows about 2 to 3 feet tall and wide. Set it back from walkways, since each leaf has edge teeth and a strong tip spine.
It is hardy only to about 28°F, so a hard freeze can damage it without cover. Like other agaves, it rots in soil that stays wet.
- Group planting3 ft apart
- Spread-out group4 ft apart
Plant into dry soil and wait about 1 to 2 weeks before the first watering in warm weather. After that, water about every other week while nights stay above 60°F.
Water deeply about every 2 weeks in summer, every 3 to 4 weeks in spring and fall, and little or none in winter. Let the soil dry out between soaks.
Cover it with frost cloth that reaches the ground on freeze nights, and take it off in the morning. Move potted plants to a sheltered spot by the house.
Give it some light shade in the hottest months. It grows in full sun too, but it looks its best with a break from the summer sun.
Drainage test first. Dig the hole and fill it with water. If water is still sitting in the hole a day later, you likely hit caliche, clay or hard soil, so fix the drainage before planting. If it drains very fast, the soil is sandy. Standing water around roots is a common reason new plants fail.
Weed cloth. Cut it away from the planting hole and where the roots will spread. Remove any plastic sheeting completely, since it keeps water and air out of the soil.
Rock or decomposed granite with no soil underneath. Bring in soil close in texture to your native soil, mix it with the soil below, and build up enough depth for roots before planting.
If you can break through. Use a breaker bar, pick, or jackhammer. Dig through the caliche and break out the solid chunks. Backfill with the soil you dug out, with no compost or manure in the hole. Confirm drainage before planting.
If you cannot break through. Dig narrow holes through the hard layer beside the root ball, not under it, and refill them with the same soil, not gravel. If it still will not drain, plant on a low mound of the same soil.
Root ball. Check the outside edges for any roots circling around. Loosen or cut those so they grow outward. Do not break up the center of the root ball.
Depth. The top of the root ball should sit at or just slightly above the surrounding soil level. Planting too deep can lead to rot and kill the plant.
Drip emitters. At planting, put the emitters on the root ball, on different sides of the plant. After about 2 months, move them to the outer edge of the root ball. Over the first year, add emitters farther out toward the edge of the branches as roots grow. Once a plant is rooted, never water only at the trunk.
How big does Agave chiapensis get?
It is a medium-sized agave, about 2 to 3 feet tall and wide, with a spreading rosette. Give it that room and keep it back from walkways.
How fast does Agave chiapensis grow?
It grows fast for an agave, given summer water and soil that drains well. It can also form a clump of rosettes over time.
What does Agave chiapensis look like?
It has broad, light green leaves in a spreading rosette. The leaf edges carry teeth, and each leaf ends in a strong tip spine.
How cold hardy is Agave chiapensis?
It is hardy to about 28°F, so it is tender in the Valley. On the coldest nights, cover it with frost cloth that reaches the ground, or move a potted plant to a sheltered spot.
Does it need sun or shade in Phoenix?
It grows in full sun to part shade. In Phoenix it does best with some light shade during the hottest part of summer.
How often should I water it?
Water deeply about every two weeks in summer and let the soil dry between soaks. In winter, water little or not at all, since wet, cold soil can rot it.
How far apart should I plant it?
Plant about 3 to 4 feet apart, center to center, when you set out a group. The Spacing tab counts plants for you.
Can I grow it in a pot?
Yes. It does well in a container with a fast draining soil mix. A pot also lets you move it to shelter by the house on frost nights.
Does Agave chiapensis bloom?
Like other agaves, a rosette blooms once and then dies, but this one often sprouts new heads from between the old leaves. The flower stalk grows about 6 feet tall with yellow to green flowers flushed with red.
Does it have sharp spines?
Yes. Each leaf has teeth along the edges and a strong tip spine about an inch long. Plant it back from walks and patios, or snip the tip spines off.
Is Agave chiapensis poisonous to dogs or cats?
Agave is mildly poisonous if chewed. The sap can irritate a pet's mouth and skin, and the spines can poke, so keep pets from chewing on it.
What kills Agave chiapensis?
Too much water is the most common problem, since soil that stays wet rots the roots. Overwatered agaves also draw snout weevils, so keep the soil well drained.
Agave chiapensis for sale in Arizona, delivered to you
Agave chiapensis is a medium agave with broad, light green leaves, native to southern Mexico. It grows in full sun to part shade and likes some shade in summer. Below is what to expect in a Valley yard: size, sun, water, frost, bloom and spines.
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Agave chiapensis in Phoenix
Agave chiapensis is a medium agave from Chiapas and Oaxaca in southern Mexico. It has broad, light green leaves in a rosette about 2 to 3 feet tall and wide.
Is Agave chiapensis cold hardy?
It is hardy to about 28°F, which makes it tender in the Valley. Cover it on freeze nights, or grow it in a pot you can move to shelter.
Does Agave chiapensis need shade?
It grows in full sun to part shade. In the Phoenix heat it does best with some light shade in summer.
How often do you water Agave chiapensis?
Water deeply about every two weeks in summer and let the soil dry between soaks. Water little or not at all in winter.
Agave chiapensis in pots
It grows well in a container with fast draining soil. A pot is handy for a frost-tender agave, since you can move it to a sheltered spot.
When does Agave chiapensis bloom?
A rosette blooms once, on a stalk about 6 feet tall, and then dies, though new heads often sprout from it. The flowers are yellow to green with red shading.
How far apart do you plant Agave chiapensis?
Plant about 3 to 4 feet apart, center to center, for a group. The Spacing tab counts plants for a bed.
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