Actual size and flowering may vary slightly based on season.
King Ferdinand Agave
King Ferdinand Agave forms a tight rosette of stout, triangular leaves marked with white lines, with smooth edges and a near-black tip. It grows slowly to about 1 to 2 feet tall and 2 to 3 feet wide. It suits pots, rock gardens and small beds where you can see it up close. Give it full sun or part sun, fast-draining soil and very little water.
Best for: patio pots, rock gardens and small beds by the entry, where a slow, compact agave stays close to its size for years.
It grows slowly and stays about 1 to 2 feet tall, so one plant can live in a pot for years. Use a pot with a drainage hole and fast-draining soil.
The stout, triangular leaves and white lines stand out against rock and gravel. It takes dry, rocky soil and needs little to no water once rooted.
At 2 to 3 feet across, it fits a small bed or border by the front walk. Keep it a little back from the walk itself because of the dark tip spines.
Soil that stays wet can rot it, so it needs fast drainage and long dry spells between waterings. Each leaf ends in a stiff, dark tip that can poke people walking by.
- Tight group2 ft apart
- Looser group3 ft apart
Set it in dry soil and skip water for about a week or two in warm weather, longer when it is cool. Then give it water about every other week while nights stay warm.
Once rooted, water deeply about every 2 weeks in summer, every 3 to 4 weeks in spring and fall, and little or none in winter. Let the soil dry out between soakings.
It is rated down to about 10 to 15°F. On hard freeze nights, drape frost cloth or a sheet all the way to the ground, not plastic, and uncover it in the morning. Move potted plants next to the house.
Like most agaves it blooms once after many years on a tall stalk, and then that rosette dies. Blooming comes with age, not care.
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 King Ferdinand Agave get?
It grows about 1 to 2 feet tall and 2 to 3 feet wide. It is slow, so the plant you buy stays close to its size for years.
Is King Ferdinand the same as Queen Victoria agave?
No. It was once sold as a form of Queen Victoria, but it is now its own species. It has a more open rosette with fewer, larger leaves and a bigger dark tip spine.
Does it need full sun in Phoenix?
It grows in full sun or part sun. Full sun gives the best color and the widest leaves.
How often should I water it?
Once it is rooted, a deep soak about every 2 weeks in summer is plenty. Stretch it to every 3 to 4 weeks in spring and fall, with little or none in winter. Let the soil dry out in between.
Why is my agave soft or mushy at the base?
Soft, mushy leaves or a plant that collapses point to rot from too much water or soil that drains poorly. Water less often and make sure the hole drains.
How cold can King Ferdinand take?
It is rated to about 10 to 15°F. On hard freeze nights, cover it with frost cloth that reaches the ground, and take it off in the morning. Move potted plants next to the house.
Can I grow King Ferdinand in a pot?
Yes, it is well suited to pots. Use a pot with a drainage hole and fast-draining soil, and water only when the soil is dry.
Does King Ferdinand have spines?
The leaf edges are smooth, with no teeth. Each leaf ends in a stout, near-black tip spine. Plant it back from walks and play areas, or snip off the tips.
Does King Ferdinand bloom?
It blooms only once, usually after 12 to 20 years, and then that rosette dies. The yellow flowers come on a tall stalk and draw hummingbirds and bees.
Is King Ferdinand Agave poisonous to dogs or cats?
Agave is mildly poisonous if chewed. The sap can irritate a pet's mouth and skin, and the leaf tips can poke. Keep pets from chewing on it.
Can snout weevils get King Ferdinand?
The agave snout weevil can attack most agaves. Watch for leaves that wilt or wrinkle and a plant that rocks loose. Good drainage and not overwatering help most.
King Ferdinand Agave for sale in Arizona, delivered to you
King Ferdinand Agave is a compact agave with thick, white-lined leaves. It was long sold as a form of Queen Victoria agave and is now treated as its own species. This page covers size, sun, water, cold, blooming and spacing in a Valley yard or pot.
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.
How big does King Ferdinand Agave get?
It grows about 1 to 2 feet tall and 2 to 3 feet wide. It grows slowly and holds a tight rosette, which makes it an easy fit for pots, rock gardens and small beds.
King Ferdinand vs Queen Victoria Agave
King Ferdinand was long sold as a form of Queen Victoria and is now its own species. It has fewer, larger leaves in a more open rosette. Its dark tip spines are bigger too.
Does King Ferdinand Agave need full sun?
It grows in full sun or part sun. Full sun gives the best leaf color and the widest leaves. Plant it in fast-draining soil either way.
How often do you water King Ferdinand Agave in Arizona?
Once rooted, a deep soak about every 2 weeks in summer is plenty. Stretch it to every 3 to 4 weeks in spring and fall, with little or none in winter. Let the soil dry out in between.
How far apart do you plant King Ferdinand Agave?
For a group or a border, plant about 2 to 3 feet apart center to center. Plan for each plant to reach 2 to 3 feet across. The Spacing tab on this page counts plants for your bed.
Is King Ferdinand Agave cold hardy in the Valley?
It is rated to about 10 to 15°F. On hard freeze nights, cover it with frost cloth down to the ground and uncover it in the morning. Potted plants can move next to the house.
Growing King Ferdinand Agave in a pot
It is slow and compact, so it can live in a pot for years. Use a pot with a drainage hole and fast-draining soil, and water only when the soil is dry.
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