Actual size and flowering may vary slightly based on season.
Green Giant Agave
Green Giant Agave is a big, fast-growing form of Agave salmiana, the giant pulque agave of the Mexican uplands. It builds a huge rosette of broad, glossy dark green leaves edged in large teeth, with a stout tip spine. Give it plenty of room, since it can reach 6 feet or more tall and spread 8 feet or wider. It makes a bold focal point in a large desert garden with some shade from the west.
Best for: a bold focal point in a large desert garden, semi-shaded succulent beds, and open ground with room to spread, out of the strong western sun.
It can grow 6 to 10 feet tall and spread 8 to 12 feet across. Plant it in open ground in a large desert garden, well away from walks and the house.
It does best with partial sun or high, filtered shade from a tree canopy. In Phoenix, keep it out of strong western sun.
It grows fast and makes pups at the base, so it fills a large space quickly. Pull or replant the pups if you want one rosette.
It outgrows small spaces quickly. Strong western sun in Phoenix and poorly drained soil both set it back. The large teeth and 2-inch tip spine are dangerous near paths.
- Tight group6 ft apart, center to center
- Open planting12 ft apart, center to center
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.
It rarely needs any 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.
Give it partial sun or high, filtered shade from a tree canopy. In Phoenix it does not handle strong western full sun, and exposed spots keep it smaller.
The agave snout weevil lays eggs in the tight base of the rosette. Keep the soil on the dry side, watch for wilting leaves, and remove an infested plant quickly.
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 Green Giant Agave get?
It gets big, anywhere from about 3 to 10 feet tall and 4 to 12 feet wide, depending on water and sun. Plant it in open ground well away from walks and the house.
Does it need shade in Phoenix?
It does best with some shade, either partial sun or high, filtered shade from a tree. It does not handle strong western full sun in Phoenix, so keep it away from west walls.
How often should I water it?
It is fairly drought tolerant, but for best growth water about every 2 to 3 weeks in summer. It can take more water when the soil drains well. Keep it dry in winter.
How cold can it take?
It is listed as hardy to about 18 to 25°F. On hard freeze nights, cover it with frost cloth that reaches the ground.
Does Green Giant make pups?
Yes. It makes pups from the base. Dig and replant them, or pull them to keep a single rosette.
When does it bloom?
It blooms only once, often after 15 years or more. The stalk starts out like a huge asparagus and grows 15 to 40 feet tall with yellow flowers. The rosette then dies, and you can let its pups take its place.
Do birds visit the flowers?
Yes. When it blooms, the yellow flowers draw birds, hummingbirds and bees, so leave the stalk up while it flowers if you enjoy them.
Are the spines dangerous?
Yes. The leaves carry large teeth and a stiff tip spine about 2 inches long. Clip the tip spines if it grows near foot traffic, and keep it back from paths.
Can snout weevils get it?
Yes. The agave snout weevil lays eggs in the base of the rosette, and the grubs can kill the plant. Keep it on the dry side and remove an infested plant quickly.
Is it poisonous to pets?
Agave sap can irritate a pet's mouth and skin if chewed and upset the stomach. The spines can also injure. Keep pets from chewing on it.
Green Giant Agave for sale in Arizona, delivered to you
Green Giant Agave is a big, fast form of Agave salmiana, the giant pulque agave. It is grown for its glossy dark green leaves and sheer size. Below is what to expect from it in the Valley, from shade and water to size, cold, pups and blooming.
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How big does Green Giant Agave get?
It is a giant agave, from about 3 to 10 feet tall and 4 to 12 feet wide. Size depends on water and sun. It needs a large, open space.
Does Green Giant Agave need shade in Phoenix?
It does best in partial sun or high, filtered shade. Strong western full sun in Phoenix sets it back and keeps it smaller.
How often do you water Green Giant Agave?
It is fairly drought tolerant. For best growth, water about every 2 to 3 weeks in summer, and keep it dry in winter. Excellent drainage is a must.
Is Green Giant Agave cold hardy?
It is listed as hardy to about 18 to 25°F. Cover it with frost cloth to the ground on hard freeze nights.
When does Green Giant Agave bloom?
It blooms once, often after 15 years or more, on a stalk 15 to 40 feet tall with yellow flowers. The plant then dies and its pups replace it.
Is Green Giant Agave fast growing?
Yes, it grows fast and makes pups at the base. Plant it where it can reach full size without crowding walks or the house.
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.