Actual size and flowering may vary slightly based on season.
Blue Wave Agave
Blue Wave Agave is a cross of mescal ceniza and Agave celsii 'Nova'. It is grown for its silvery blue leaves with wavy edges and clear leaf imprints. It forms a compact rosette about 12 to 18 inches tall and 1 to 2 feet wide. It takes full sun and gets by on low water once rooted. Its size suits rock gardens, dry beds and spots near the patio.
Best for: rock gardens and dry borders, compact accents beside the patio, and sunny xeriscape beds where a big agave would take over.
Its silvery blue leaves and wavy edges stand out against boulders and gravel. At 12 to 18 inches tall it stays in scale in a small rock garden.
Growers suggest it for patio beds, where its compact size fits. Keep it back from the edge of paths, since agave leaf tips can be sharp.
It takes full sun and gets by on low water once rooted. Mix it into a dry border with other desert plants on the same schedule.
Soil that stays wet can rot it, and overwatered agaves draw the snout weevil. Freezes below about 20 to 25°F can damage the leaves, so cover it on the coldest nights.
- Group planting4 ft apart
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.
Water deeply about every 2 weeks in summer and every 3 to 4 weeks in spring and fall. Keep it dry in winter unless it goes weeks without rain.
Cover it with frost cloth or a sheet that reaches the ground on nights near 20°F. Take the cover off in the morning as it warms.
Pull off lower leaves as they dry out. Most agaves need no fertilizer, and if you do feed, use a light balanced one in spring, never on a new transplant.
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.
What is Blue Wave Agave?
It is a garden cross of Agave colorata, called mescal ceniza, and Agave celsii 'Nova'. It was selected for its powdery blue leaves, wavy edges and strong imprints.
How big does Blue Wave Agave get?
It forms a compact rosette about 12 to 18 inches tall and 1 to 2 feet wide. Give it a spot where it has that room without crowding.
Can it take full sun in Phoenix?
Yes. It is grown for full sun, and the blue color deepens in strong sun. Plant it in an open, sunny bed rather than a shaded corner.
How often should I water Blue Wave Agave?
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.
What soil does it need?
Sandy, rocky soil that drains well. If you have clay or caliche, dig through the hard layer or mix in coarse sand and gravel so water drains away.
How cold can Blue Wave Agave take?
It handles freezing nights down to about 20 to 25°F. On colder nights, cover it with frost cloth that reaches the ground and take it off in the morning.
Does Blue Wave Agave die after it blooms?
Most agaves bloom once after many years and then that rosette dies. Blooming is set by age, not care, so there is nothing you need to do to prevent it.
Is it poisonous to pets?
Agaves are mildly poisonous if chewed. The sap can irritate a pet's mouth and skin and upset the stomach, so keep pets from chewing on it.
Why is my agave rotting?
Soft, collapsing leaves usually mean too much water or soil that stays wet. Cut back watering, and if you see grubs at the base, remove the plant so weevils do not spread.
Blue Wave Agave for sale in Arizona, delivered to you
Blue Wave Agave is a named cross of Agave colorata, the mescal ceniza of Sonora, and Agave celsii 'Nova'. Its powdery blue leaves have wavy edges and strong imprints. Below: size, sun, water, soil, cold, and how it compares with other blue agaves.
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.
What does Blue Wave Agave look like?
It has powdery, silvery blue leaves with softly wavy edges. Each leaf carries clear imprints from the leaves that pressed against it in the bud, and the rosette stays compact.
Blue Wave Agave size in Arizona
Expect a rosette about 12 to 18 inches tall and 1 to 2 feet wide. That size suits rock gardens, patio beds and small dry borders.
Watering Blue Wave Agave in the Valley
Once rooted, a deep soak about every 2 weeks in summer is enough. Stretch it to every 3 to 4 weeks in spring and fall, and keep it dry in winter.
Is Blue Wave Agave cold hardy?
It takes freezing nights down to about 20 to 25°F. Cover it with frost cloth that reaches the ground on the coldest nights.
Blue Wave Agave vs Agave colorata
Agave colorata, the mescal ceniza of Sonora, grows larger with blue-gray leaves. Blue Wave is a smaller cross of colorata and celsii 'Nova' with wavier edges.
Soil for Blue Wave Agave
Plant it in sandy, rocky soil that drains fast. Dig through any caliche layer so water does not sit around the roots.
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