Actual size and flowering may vary slightly based on season.
Gentry's Hardy Agave
Gentry's Hardy Agave is a large mountain agave from northeastern Mexico with wide, glossy green leaves edged in big teeth. It grows about 3 to 5 feet tall and 4 to 6 feet wide. It is one of the most cold hardy of the large agaves. Plant it as a bold specimen in a desert or rock garden.
Best for: a bold specimen in a desert or rock garden, and open beds with room to spread.
It grows about 3 to 5 feet tall and 4 to 6 feet wide, with wide, deep green leaves. One plant makes a strong focal point in a desert or rock garden.
It is one of the most cold hardy of the large agaves, down to about 5°F. Spots in the yard that frost hard in winter are fine for it.
Give it an open bed with 4 to 6 feet of room for the rosette. Gritty soil that drains well suits it.
Growers suggest some shade in hot climates. Wet winter soil can rot it. Large teeth and a long tip spine mean it needs to sit well back from paths.
- Group or mass planting4 ft apart
- Loose group or border6 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 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 one of the most cold hardy large agaves, to about 5°F. Keep the soil dry in winter, since cold, wet soil is when rot sets in.
It blooms once after many years, on a 12 to 18 foot stalk of yellow flowers. After it blooms, that rosette dies.
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 cold hardy is Gentry's Hardy Agave?
It is one of the most cold tolerant of the large agaves and handles cold down to about 5°F. A Valley winter is no problem, so it needs no frost cover here.
How big does it get?
It grows about 3 to 5 feet tall and 4 to 6 feet wide. Give it an open bed with that much room, well back from paths.
Does it need full sun in Phoenix?
It grows in sun or light, dappled shade, and growers suggest some shade in hotter climates. In the Valley, plant it where it gets a little afternoon shade.
How often should I water it?
It needs occasional water once rooted. Water deeply, let the soil dry, and keep it dry in winter.
Does it have sharp teeth?
Yes. The leaf edges carry large teeth and each leaf ends in a long tip spine. Keep it well back from paths and wear heavy gloves.
Where is it from?
It grows wild high in the mountains of northeastern Mexico, above oak and pine woodland. It is one of the most cold hardy of the large agaves.
Does it bloom?
Yes, once, after many years, on a stalk about 12 to 18 feet tall with clusters of yellow flowers. The rosette then dies, 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 it 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.
Gentry's Hardy Agave for sale in Arizona, delivered to you
Gentry's Hardy Agave, Agave gentryi, is a large agave from the mountains of northeastern Mexico. It is known for taking hard cold. Below is what to expect in a Valley yard, including size, sun, water, cold, teeth, blooming and where it fits.
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.
Is Gentry's Hardy Agave cold hardy?
Yes. It is one of the most cold tolerant large agaves, down to about 5°F. It comes from high mountains in northeastern Mexico.
How big does Agave gentryi get?
It grows about 3 to 5 feet tall and 4 to 6 feet wide, with wide, glossy green leaves. Give it an open spot with room to spread.
Does Gentry's Hardy Agave need shade in Phoenix?
It grows in sun or light, dappled shade, and growers suggest some shade in hotter climates. In the Valley, plant it where it gets a little afternoon shade.
How often do you water Gentry's Hardy Agave?
Occasional water once rooted is enough. Water deeply, let the soil dry, and keep it dry in winter, since wet soil can rot it.
When does Gentry's Hardy Agave bloom?
It blooms once, after many years, on a stalk about 12 to 18 feet tall with yellow flowers, and then the rosette dies.
Where to plant Gentry's Hardy Agave
Use it as a specimen in a desert or rock garden, in gritty soil that drains well. Its large teeth mean it should sit well back from paths.
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