Actual size and flowering may vary slightly based on season.
Foxtail Agave
Foxtail Agave is a soft, spineless agave with wide, smooth, gray-green leaves that taper to a flexible tip. It grows about 3 to 5 feet tall and fills in with pups, and older plants can form a short trunk. In the Valley it is a shade agave, at home on the east side of the house, under trees or beside the pool. Give it well-drained soil and a deep drink every week or two in summer.
Best for: beds beside the pool, the east side of the house, shaded entries and large planters, wherever you want an agave with no spines.
Its leaves have no teeth and soft, flexible tips, so it is an agave people plant right by the pool. Pull pups now and then, or it keeps spreading.
It does best on the east side of the house or under a tree canopy, out of the afternoon sun. Part shade to full shade both work.
It suits shaded entryways, courtyards and large planters where you want a soft, tropical look. In a pot it can move to shelter on frost nights.
Hot afternoon sun scorches the leaves, and frost below about 30°F damages them. It is not an agave for an open, sunny desert yard. The sap can irritate skin.
- Group planting8 ft apart, center to center
Plant into dry soil and wait about 1 to 2 weeks before the first watering in warm weather, or up to a month in cool weather. After that, water about every other week while nights stay above 60°F.
Once rooted, water deeply every 1 to 2 weeks in summer, every 3 to 5 weeks in spring and fall, and only in a dry winter. Let the soil dry out between soakings.
Plant it in part to full shade, or on the east side where it gets only morning sun. In full afternoon sun the leaves scorch.
It is cold tender, rated only to about 28 to 30°F. Cover it with frost cloth or a sheet that reaches the ground, not plastic, on freezing nights, and take it off in the morning. Move potted plants next to the house.
It makes many pups at the base. Cut one free with a sharp, clean knife, let the cut dry for several days, then plant it and water lightly.
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.
Is Foxtail Agave really spineless?
Yes, the leaves have smooth edges with no teeth, and the tips are soft and bend. It is gentle to brush against, so you can plant it right beside a walk or pool.
Does Foxtail Agave need shade in Phoenix?
Yes. Plant it in part to full shade, or on the east side where it gets only morning sun. In full afternoon sun the leaves scorch.
How big does Foxtail Agave get?
It grows about 3 to 5 feet tall and about 5 feet wide. With its pups the clump can spread wider. Older plants can form a short trunk 2 to 3 feet tall.
How often should I water Foxtail Agave?
Once rooted, water it every 1 to 2 weeks in summer. Every 3 to 5 weeks is enough in spring and fall. In winter, water only if there has been no rain.
Can Foxtail Agave take frost?
It is frost tender and shows damage below about 28 to 30°F. When a night at 32°F or lower is forecast, cover it with frost cloth to the ground. Move potted plants under cover.
Can I plant Foxtail Agave by the pool?
Yes. With no spines on the edges or tips, it is used next to pools and fountains. Pull pups now and then so it does not spread over the deck.
Does Foxtail Agave make pups?
Yes, it makes many pups at the base and along the stem. Twist or cut them off, let the cut dry for several days, then plant them.
Does Foxtail Agave bloom?
It blooms once, after about 10 years, on an arching stalk 10 to 15 feet long with yellow-green flowers from late fall into spring. That rosette then dies, so cut it out and let the pups take over.
Can I grow Foxtail Agave in a pot?
Yes, it does well in large pots and planters. A pot also lets you move it to shelter on frost nights. Pots need water more often than plants in the ground.
Can Foxtail Agave sap irritate skin?
Yes, the leaf juice can irritate skin in some people. Wear gloves and long sleeves when you cut leaves or pups, and wash off any sap.
Is Foxtail Agave poisonous to dogs or cats?
The leaf juice can irritate a pet's mouth and skin if it chews the leaves. Keep pets from chewing on it.
What is the difference between Foxtail Agave and Blue Flame Agave?
Blue Flame is a cross of foxtail agave and Agave shawii. It grows in mostly full sun in Phoenix and has sharp leaf tips. Foxtail needs shade and has soft tips.
Foxtail Agave for sale in Arizona, delivered to you
Foxtail Agave is the soft, spineless agave named for its tall, arching flower stalk. In the Valley it is grown in shade, by pools and in entries. Below is what to expect from it in an Arizona yard or pot, from size, shade and water to frost, pups and blooming.
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 Foxtail Agave need shade in Phoenix?
Yes. In Phoenix it needs part to full shade, or an east-facing spot with only morning sun. Under a tree canopy or in a shaded entry works well. Full afternoon sun scorches the leaves.
Is Foxtail Agave good by a pool?
It is planted by pools and fountains, because the leaves have no spines on the edges or tips. Pull pups every so often to keep it in its bed.
How big does Foxtail Agave get?
It grows about 3 to 5 feet tall and 5 feet wide, and the clump spreads with pups. Older plants can stand on a short trunk 2 to 3 feet tall.
How often do you water Foxtail Agave in Arizona?
Once rooted, water every 1 to 2 weeks in summer. Every 3 to 5 weeks is enough in spring and fall. In winter, water only if there has been no rain.
Is Foxtail Agave frost tender?
Yes. It shows damage below about 28 to 30°F. Cover it with frost cloth that reaches the ground on nights near freezing, and take it off in the morning.
How much room does Foxtail Agave need?
One rosette needs about 5 feet if you pull the pups. A full clump can spread 5 to 10 feet over time, so give it that room or pull pups every so often.
Why is it called Foxtail Agave?
The name comes from its flower stalk. After about 10 years it sends up a tall, arching stalk 10 to 15 feet long, packed with yellow-green flowers. Then that rosette dies and the pups take over.
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.