Actual size and flowering may vary slightly based on season.
Agave titanota
Agave titanota is a medium agave from Oaxaca, Mexico, with broad, stiff leaves in pale green with a chalky white cast. Bold teeth line the leaf edges, and each leaf ends in a long tip spine. It usually grows as a single rosette, up to about 30 inches tall and wide, and it grows slowly. It suits pots, small gardens and spots with light shade, with very little water.
Best for: patio pots and containers, small gardens and rock gardens, and beds with light shade or cover from the hot afternoon sun. A slow, single rosette grown for its pale leaves and bold edge teeth.
It grows slowly and usually stays one rosette, so it holds up in a large patio pot for years. Use a pot with a drainage hole and fast-draining soil.
Its chalky pale leaves stand out in a small garden or among boulders and darker succulents. It reaches up to about 30 inches across, so it fits tight beds.
In the low desert it does best in light shade, such as filtered shade under a light tree canopy. It takes full sun in cooler places.
Hot, all-day summer sun is hard on it here. Soil that stays wet can rot it. The edge teeth and tip spine can snag, so keep it back from walks and seating.
- Tight group12 in apart, center to center
- Looser group18 in apart, center to center
Plant into dry soil and wait about 1 to 2 weeks before the first watering, or up to a month in cool weather. Then water about every other week while nights stay above 60°F. Light shade cloth for the first few weeks helps it settle in.
Water deeply about every 10 to 14 days in summer and every 3 to 4 weeks in spring and fall. Cut back by October and let winter rain do the rest. Let the soil dry between waterings.
It is hardy to about 20 to 25°F. On frost nights, cover it with frost cloth that reaches the ground and take it off in the morning. Keep the soil dry in winter, since cold, wet soil is when rot sets in.
It usually grows as a single rosette with few or no pups. It blooms once, then the rosette dies; remove the spent rosette.
Most agaves need no fertilizer. If you feed, use a light balanced fertilizer in spring or early summer, never on a new transplant and never in fall or winter. No pruning is needed.
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 titanota get?
It grows up to about 30 inches tall and 2 to 3 feet wide. It is slow, so a young plant takes years to reach that size.
Does Agave titanota need shade in Phoenix?
In the low desert it does best in light shade. It takes full sun in cooler places. Filtered shade under a light tree canopy suits it here.
Does Agave titanota have spines?
Yes. Each leaf ends in a spine about an inch long, and the edges carry a row of bold teeth. Keep it back from walks and seating, or snip off the tips.
How often should I water Agave titanota?
Once rooted, give it a deep soak about every 2 weeks in summer and every 3 to 4 weeks in spring and fall. Water little or not at all in winter, and let the soil dry out in between.
Does Agave titanota make pups?
It rarely does, and it usually grows as a single rosette. When it does make a few pups, cut them free and replant them.
Does Agave titanota bloom?
It blooms once after many years, on a stalk of yellow flowers, and then that rosette dies. Since it seldom pups, plan to replace it then.
How cold can Agave titanota take?
It is listed as hardy to about 20 to 25°F. On hard freeze nights, cover it with frost cloth that reaches the ground, and move potted plants next to the house.
Can I grow Agave titanota in a pot?
Yes, it does well in pots. Use fast-draining soil and a pot with a drainage hole, and water only when the soil is dry.
Is Agave titanota poisonous to dogs or cats?
It is mildly poisonous if chewed. The sap can irritate a pet's mouth and skin, and the teeth and tip spine can poke. Keep pets from chewing on it.
Why is my Agave titanota soft or mushy?
Soft, mushy leaves or a plant that collapses point to rot from too much water or soil that drains poorly. Cut back the water and make sure the spot drains fast.
Can snout weevils get Agave titanota?
Yes, the agave snout weevil can attack almost any agave. Watch for leaves that wilt or wrinkle and a plant that rocks loose. Good drainage and not overwatering help most.
Agave titanota for sale in Arizona, delivered to you
Agave titanota is a slow, medium agave from Oaxaca, Mexico, grown for its pale, chalky leaves and bold teeth. It usually stays a single rosette. Below is what to expect from it in an Arizona yard or pot, from size, sun and water to cold, blooming and pups.
Sourced from trusted Arizona growers and delivered directly to your door, job site, or property. We deliver across the Valley and to nearby towns, and quote delivery anywhere else in Arizona.
How big does Agave titanota get?
It grows slowly, up to about 30 inches tall and 2 to 3 feet wide. It usually stays a single rosette, so it keeps a tidy footprint.
Does Agave titanota need afternoon shade in Arizona?
It takes full sun in cooler places, but in the low desert it does best in light shade. Filtered shade under a light tree canopy works well.
How often do you water Agave titanota?
Once rooted, give it a deep soak about every 2 weeks in summer. Every 3 to 4 weeks is enough in spring and fall, with little or none in winter. Let the soil dry out between waterings.
How much room does Agave titanota need?
Plan for each plant to reach 2 to 3 feet across and up to about 30 inches tall. Give it that room plus space to keep the teeth back from walks.
Is Agave titanota cold hardy?
It is listed as hardy to about 20 to 25°F. On hard freeze nights, cover it with frost cloth that reaches the ground. Take the cover off in the morning.
Does Agave titanota make pups or bloom?
It seldom pups and usually stays one rosette. After many years it blooms once, with yellow flowers on a tall stalk, and then that rosette dies.
Growing Agave titanota in a pot
Its slow growth and medium size suit a large pot. Use fast-draining soil and a pot with a drainage hole. Water when the soil is dry, and less in winter.
We deliver across the Valley, from Phoenix, Scottsdale and Mesa out to San Tan Valley, Maricopa and Casa Grande, and up to Prescott, Sedona, Payson and Globe. See delivery areas and rates.