Actual size and flowering may vary slightly based on season.
Cowhorn Agave
Cowhorn Agave is a bold, single rosette of wide green leaves edged with big red-brown teeth. It grows about 2 to 3 feet tall and 3 to 5 feet wide, and it does not throw pups around the yard. It likes filtered light or afternoon shade in the Valley. Plant it under a large tree or on the east side of the house.
Best for: beds under large trees, east sides of the house, and spots where a spreading agave would be a chore. One bold rosette that stays put, for filtered light or afternoon shade.
It does best in filtered light and out of the afternoon sun. The ground under a large tree gives it that, and the wide green leaves stand out in the shade.
An east-facing bed gives it sun early and shade in the heat of the afternoon. Leave about 3 to 4 feet between plants, center to center.
It grows as a single rosette and makes no pups or volunteers. It stays where you plant it, with no pups to dig out of the bed each year.
In full afternoon sun it can turn yellowish in summer. The leaf edges carry big teeth and a sharp tip, so keep it back from walks. It needs cover below about 25°F.
- Tight group3 ft apart, center to center
- Looser group4 ft 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 handles cold down to about 25°F. On frost nights, cover it with frost cloth that reaches the ground and take it off in the morning.
It grows as a single rosette with few or no pups. It blooms once after many years, then the rosette dies, so plan to replace it.
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.
Can Cowhorn Agave take full sun in Phoenix?
It does best in filtered light or with shade in the afternoon. In full Valley summer sun the leaves can turn yellowish. Morning sun with afternoon shade suits it.
How big does Cowhorn Agave get?
It grows about 2 to 3 feet tall and 3 to 5 feet wide. Give it that much room, set back from walks because of its teeth.
How fast does it grow?
It is a fast grower for an agave, so a small plant does not stay small for long.
How far apart should I plant Cowhorn Agave?
Plant them about 3 to 4 feet apart, center to center. The Spacing tab on this page counts plants for your bed.
Does Cowhorn Agave make pups?
No. It grows as a single rosette and does not make pups or volunteers. That is one reason people pick it over agaves that spread.
How often should I water it?
It needs little water once rooted. Water deeply about every 2 weeks in summer and every 3 to 4 weeks in spring and fall. It needs no water in winter.
How cold can Cowhorn Agave take?
It handles cold down to about 25°F. On colder nights, cover it with frost cloth or a sheet that reaches the ground, not plastic, and take it off in the morning.
Why is it called cowhorn?
The name bovicornuta means cow horn. It refers to the big red-brown teeth along the leaf edges, which look like small horns. Some curve back toward the base and some toward the tip.
Does it have sharp teeth?
Yes. The leaf edges carry large red-brown teeth and each leaf ends in a sharp tip. Plant it back from walks and patios and wear heavy gloves to handle it.
Does Cowhorn Agave bloom?
Yes, once, when it is about 10 years old or more. A branched stalk 15 to 20 feet tall carries yellow-green flowers, and then the plant dies. It makes no pups, so plan to replace it.
Why is my agave soft or mushy?
Too much water or soil that stays wet is the common cause, and it leads to rot. Let the soil dry out between waterings and plant it where water drains away.
Is Cowhorn Agave poisonous to dogs or cats?
Agave is mildly poisonous if chewed. The sap can irritate a pet's mouth and skin and upset the stomach, and the teeth can scratch. Keep pets from chewing on it.
Cowhorn Agave for sale in Arizona, delivered to you
Cowhorn Agave, Agave bovicornuta, is a single rosette of wide green leaves with big red-brown teeth. It comes from the mountains of northwest Mexico. Below is what to expect in a Valley yard: sun and shade, size, spacing, water, cold, pups, blooming and teeth.
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.
Does Cowhorn Agave need shade in Phoenix?
It does best with filtered light or afternoon shade. In full summer sun the leaves can turn yellowish. Under a large tree or on the east side of the house works well.
How big does Cowhorn Agave get?
It grows about 2 to 3 feet tall and 3 to 5 feet wide. It grows fast for an agave and stays a single rosette.
How far apart do you plant Cowhorn Agave?
Space them about 3 to 4 feet apart, center to center. Keep them back from walks, since the leaf edges carry big teeth and a sharp tip.
Does Cowhorn Agave make pups?
No. It does not make pups or volunteers, so it stays where you plant it. That makes it an easy pick over agaves that spread.
How often do you water Cowhorn Agave in Phoenix?
Once rooted, a deep soak about every 2 weeks in summer is plenty, and every 3 to 4 weeks in spring and fall. It needs no water in winter. Wet soil can rot it.
Is Cowhorn Agave cold hardy in the Valley?
It handles cold down to about 25°F. On the rare colder night, cover it with frost cloth that reaches the ground and take it off in the morning.
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.