Actual size and flowering may vary slightly based on season.
Blue Ember Agave
Blue Ember Agave forms a compact, symmetrical rosette of smooth blue-green leaves with red edges and red tips that glow in the sun. Leaf imprints on the backs of the leaves add extra detail. It grows about 2 to 3 feet tall and 3 to 4 feet wide, a good size for patios, borders, rock gardens and containers. It likes full sun with some shade in the hottest part of the day, and little water.
Best for: patios and containers, borders and rock gardens, and accent spots where a compact blue-green rosette with red edges can be seen up close.
It stays about 2 to 3 feet tall and 3 to 4 feet wide, so it fits patios and large pots without overwhelming a small space. Use a pot with a drainage hole and fast-draining soil.
Its symmetrical rosette works as a border accent or a focal point in a rock garden. The red edges and tips show best where the sun hits them.
It grows in full sun, but in the Valley it looks better with some shade in the hottest part of the day. Keep it away from reflected heat off walls and paving.
Hot west walls and reflected heat are hard on it in summer. Soil that stays wet can rot it, and the red tip spine is sharp, so keep it back from paths.
- Group planting3 ft apart
Set it in dry soil at the depth it grew in the pot. Hold off watering for about 1 to 2 weeks in warm weather, or up to a month when it is cool. Then water about every other week while nights stay above 60°F. Light shade cloth for the first few weeks helps it settle.
Water deeply, then let the soil dry before the next soak. About every 2 weeks in summer and every 3 to 4 weeks in spring and fall is plenty. Cut back by October and let winter rain carry it.
Most plants never need fertilizer. If you do feed, use a light balanced fertilizer in spring or early summer, never on a new plant and never in fall or winter. No pruning is needed beyond removing dead lower leaves.
It grows in full sun but does better with some shade during the hottest part of summer days. Keep it away from reflected heat off walls and paving.
In summer, water about every 2 to 3 weeks, and about once a month in cooler months. Let the soil dry out completely between waterings.
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 Blue Ember Agave get?
It grows about 2 to 3 feet tall and 3 to 4 feet wide. That compact size suits patios, borders and pots.
Does Blue Ember need shade in Phoenix?
It grows in full sun, but it does better with some shade during the hottest part of summer days. Keep it away from reflected heat off walls and paving.
How often should I water it?
In an Arizona summer, water about every 2 to 3 weeks, and about once a month in cooler months. Let the soil dry out completely between waterings.
Can I grow it in a pot?
Yes. Its compact size makes it a good container plant. Use a pot with a drainage hole and water only when the soil is dry.
Does Blue Ember bloom?
Yes, but only at maturity, usually after 10 to 15 years or more. It sends up a stalk of yellow flowers, and then the mother plant declines while younger rosettes carry on.
Are the leaves sharp?
The red leaf edges are toothed and each leaf ends in a red tip spine. Plant it a little back from walks and seating, or snip the tips.
What grows well with Blue Ember?
Red yucca and penstemon are good low-water companions for it in a Valley bed.
Is it poisonous to pets?
Agave sap can irritate a pet's mouth and skin if chewed and upset the stomach. The sharp tips can also poke. Keep pets from chewing on it.
Blue Ember Agave for sale in Arizona, delivered to you
Blue Ember Agave is a compact garden agave grown for its blue-green leaves edged in ember red. Below is what to expect from it in the Valley, from sun and water to size, pots and blooming.
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How big does Blue Ember Agave get?
It grows about 2 to 3 feet tall and 3 to 4 feet wide in a compact, symmetrical rosette. That makes it a good size for patios and containers.
Does Blue Ember Agave need afternoon shade in Phoenix?
It grows in full sun but benefits from some shade in the hottest part of the day. Avoid spots with reflected heat off walls and paving.
How often do you water Blue Ember Agave in Arizona?
Water about every 2 to 3 weeks in summer and about once a month in cooler months. Always let the soil dry completely between waterings.
Growing Blue Ember Agave in a pot
Its compact size suits containers on a patio. Use a pot with a drainage hole and fast-draining soil, and water only when it is dry.
What does Blue Ember Agave look like?
Its smooth blue-green leaves have red, toothed edges and red tips. Leaf imprints on the backs of the leaves add extra pattern.
When does Blue Ember Agave bloom?
It blooms only at maturity, often after 10 to 15 years, on a stalk of yellow flowers. The mother plant then declines and younger rosettes take over.
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