Actual size and flowering may vary slightly based on season.
Margarita Agave
Margarita Agave is a selection of smooth agave from local Arizona growers. Smooth agave is one of the soft, people-friendly agaves, with fleshy, arching leaves and mostly smooth edges. It grows fast into a tidy rosette about 2 to 3 feet tall and 3 to 5 feet wide. Use it in pots, in groups along walks and patios, or as an accent in filtered shade.
Best for: pots and containers, groups along walkways and patios, tropical-look plantings, and accents in filtered or dappled shade. A fast, soft-leaved agave that pups into a clump.
Smooth agave is one of the soft, people-friendly agaves, with mostly smooth leaf edges. That makes it a common pick for beds along paths, walkways and patios.
It is often planted in groups or masses, about 4 to 6 feet apart center to center. The pups fill in around each plant over time.
It grows well in a large pot and works as an accent in tropical-look plantings. Use a pot with a drainage hole and well-drained soil.
In the colder parts of the Valley, frost can damage it most winters. It looks better in filtered shade than in full sun. Soil that stays wet can rot the roots, and each leaf still ends in a sharp tip.
- Tight group4 ft apart
- Looser group6 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. Light shade cloth for the first few weeks helps it settle in.
It takes more water than most agaves if the soil drains well. Water deeply about every 10 to 14 days in summer, less in spring and fall. Cut back on water by October.
It is hardy to about 20 to 27°F, and colder parts of the Valley can see damage most winters. On frost nights, cover it with frost cloth that reaches the ground and take it off in the morning.
It makes pups at the base and fills in into a clump. Cut them off with a clean knife, let the cut dry for several days, then plant them.
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.
What is Margarita Agave?
It is a selection of smooth agave, Agave desmettiana, offered by local Arizona growers. It shares smooth agave's soft, arching leaves and its care.
How big does Margarita Agave get?
Smooth agave grows about 2 to 3 feet tall and 3 to 5 feet wide. It grows fast, and pups around the base widen the clump over time.
How far apart should I plant it?
Plant about 4 to 6 feet apart, center to center. Each plant reaches 3 to 5 feet wide. The Spacing tab on this page counts plants for your bed.
Does it need shade in Phoenix?
It can take full sun and reflected heat, but in the low desert it looks better in filtered or dappled shade. Light shade under a thin tree canopy suits it.
Is it safe near walkways and pools?
It is one of the softer agaves, with mostly smooth leaf edges, and is used along walks and patios. Each leaf still ends in a short, sharp tip, so set it a little back or snip the tips.
How often should I water it?
Once rooted it needs only occasional water. It also handles regular watering as long as the soil drains well. Keep it drier in winter.
How cold can Margarita Agave take?
Smooth agave is listed as hardy to about 20 to 27°F. In the colder parts of the Valley it can get frost damage most winters, so cover it with frost cloth on freeze nights.
Does it make pups?
Yes. Smooth agave makes pups at the base and forms a clump. Cut them free with a sharp, clean knife, let the cut dry for several days, then plant them.
Does it bloom?
Yes, but only once. After about 8 to 10 years it sends up a branched stalk 8 to 10 feet tall with pale yellow flowers, usually in late winter or spring. That rosette dies after it blooms, and its pups carry on.
Is it poisonous to dogs or cats?
Agave sap can irritate a pet's mouth and skin if chewed, and can upset the stomach. The sharp tips can also poke. Keep pets from chewing on it.
Why is my agave soft or rotting?
Soft, mushy leaves point to root rot from soil that stays wet. Overwatered agaves also draw the agave snout weevil. Improve drainage and cut back the water.
Does it attract pollinators?
Yes, when it blooms. Night-flying pollinators visit the flowers on the tall stalk.
Margarita Agave for sale in Arizona, delivered to you
Margarita Agave is a selection of smooth agave, a soft-leaved agave grown in Valley yards for its fleshy, arching leaves. Below is what to expect from it here, from size, sun and water to cold, pups, blooming and spacing.
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.
What is Margarita Agave?
It is a selection of smooth agave, Agave desmettiana, from local Arizona growers. Smooth agave is known only in gardens and is thought to come from Mexico. It has fleshy, arching leaves with mostly smooth edges.
Does Margarita Agave need shade in Phoenix?
It can handle full sun and reflected heat. In the low desert it looks better in filtered or dappled shade. A spot under a thin tree canopy works well.
How far apart do you plant Margarita Agave?
Plant about 4 to 6 feet apart center to center. Each plant reaches 3 to 5 feet wide. The Spacing tab on this page counts plants for your bed.
Is Margarita Agave good near a walkway or patio?
Smooth agave is one of the soft, people-friendly agaves. Its leaf edges are mostly smooth, so it is used along paths, walks and patios. Each leaf still has a short, sharp tip.
How often do you water Margarita Agave?
Once rooted, water only now and then. It also takes regular water if the soil drains well. Soggy soil leads to root rot.
Is Margarita Agave cold hardy in the Valley?
Smooth agave is listed as hardy to about 20 to 27°F. In colder parts of the Valley frost can damage it most winters. Cover it with frost cloth on freeze nights.
When does Margarita Agave bloom?
After about 8 to 10 years it sends up an 8 to 10 foot branched stalk of pale yellow flowers. That rosette dies after it blooms. Its pups, and plantlets on the stalk, carry on.
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.