Actual size and flowering may vary slightly based on season.
New Mexico Agave
New Mexico Agave is one of the smaller forms of Parry's agave, with slender blue-green to gray leaves edged in dark, curved teeth. It pups freely, so one plant slowly builds into a clump of flat-topped rosettes about 1 1/2 to 2 feet tall. It is one of the most cold hardy agaves, rated to about -20°F, so a Valley winter is no trouble for it. Use it in beds, borders and patio pots, with a little afternoon shade in the low desert.
Best for: beds and borders, patio pots, and low clumps of blue-gray rosettes in spots that get some afternoon shade.
It makes many pups and slowly forms a clump of flat-topped, blue-gray rosettes. Planted along a bed or border edge, a few plants fill in over the years. Set them about 2 to 3 feet apart so the clumps have room to grow.
Each rosette stays about 1 1/2 to 2 feet tall, so it fits a patio pot. Use a pot with a drainage hole and a fast-draining mix. Water when the mix is dry, and much less in winter.
In the low desert it does best with some shade from the hot afternoon sun. An east-facing bed or a spot under the light shade of a small desert tree works well. Give it a little extra water in the summer heat.
Full afternoon sun in a Valley summer is hard on it, so give it some shade. The curved teeth and tip spine are sharp, so keep it back from walks, seating and pools. Soil that stays wet can rot it.
- Tight group2 ft apart
- Looser group3 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.
Once rooted, water about every 2 to 3 weeks in summer, a little more often in the hottest months. Water little or none in winter.
It is one of the most cold hardy agaves, rated to about -10°F, so it needs no frost cover in the Valley. Keep the soil dry in winter, since cold, wet soil is when rot sets in.
It makes many pups and forms large clumps of flat-topped rosettes. 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 it, use a light balanced fertilizer in spring or early summer, never on a new transplant and never in fall or winter. It does not need any pruning.
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 New Mexico Agave the same as Parry's agave?
It is a form of Parry's agave, and it is often sold as Agave neomexicana. It is one of the smaller forms, with narrower leaves than the others.
How big does it get?
Each rosette grows about 1 1/2 to 2 feet tall and about 2 feet wide. Pups around the base slowly turn it into a wider clump, so leave it room to spread.
How far apart should I plant it?
Plant about 2 to 3 feet apart, center to center. Use 2 feet for a tight group and 3 feet to give each clump more room. The Spacing tab on this page has the numbers.
Does it need shade in Phoenix?
In the low desert, give it some protection from the afternoon sun. An east-facing bed or the light shade of a small tree works well. It takes full sun in cooler places.
How often should I water it?
It is drought tolerant, but in the low desert it needs a little extra water in the summer heat. Once rooted, water about every 2 to 3 weeks in summer and let the soil dry out between waterings. Water little or not at all in winter.
How cold hardy is New Mexico Agave?
It is one of the most cold hardy agaves, rated to about -10°F. A Valley winter will not hurt it, so it needs no frost cover. Keep the soil dry in winter.
Does New Mexico Agave make pups?
Yes, it makes many pups and forms large clumps of flat-topped rosettes. To start new plants, cut pups free with a clean knife, let the cut dry for several days, then plant them.
Does it bloom?
Yes, each rosette blooms once. It sends up a branching stalk about 10 feet tall, and reddish buds open to yellow flowers. That rosette then dies, and its pups keep the clump going.
Can I grow it in a pot?
Yes, it is small enough for a patio container. Use a pot with a drainage hole and a fast-draining mix, and let the mix dry out between waterings.
Are the teeth sharp?
Yes, the leaf edges carry curved dark teeth, and each leaf ends in a sharp spine. Keep it back from walks, seating and pools.
Is it poisonous to pets?
Agave sap can irritate a pet's mouth and skin and upset the stomach if chewed. The teeth and tip spine can also poke. Keep pets from chewing on it.
Is New Mexico Agave native to Arizona?
No, it grows wild in southeastern New Mexico and west Texas. It lives on rocky limestone slopes from about 1,400 to 7,000 feet.
New Mexico Agave for sale in Arizona, delivered to you
New Mexico Agave is a small, clumping form of Parry's agave that grows wild on limestone slopes in New Mexico and west Texas. It is one of the most cold hardy agaves you can plant. Below is what to expect from it in a Valley yard, from sun, water and spacing to size, pups and blooming.
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How cold hardy is New Mexico Agave?
It is one of the most cold hardy agaves, rated to about -10°F. That is far colder than any Valley winter, so it needs no frost cover here. Keep the soil dry in winter, since cold, wet soil is when rot sets in.
Does New Mexico Agave need afternoon shade in Phoenix?
In the low desert, give it some protection from the afternoon sun and a little extra water in summer. An east-facing bed or the light shade of a small tree works well. In cooler places it takes full sun.
How big does New Mexico Agave get?
Each rosette grows about 1 1/2 to 2 feet tall and about 2 feet wide. It pups freely and forms wider clumps of flat-topped rosettes over the years. That makes it a good small agave for beds and pots.
How far apart to plant New Mexico Agave
Plant about 2 to 3 feet apart, center to center. Use 2 feet for a tight group and 3 feet to let each clump fill in. The Spacing tab on this page counts plants for your bed.
New Mexico Agave vs Parry's agave
New Mexico Agave is a smaller form of Parry's agave. Its leaves are narrower and blue-green to gray. Both are rated to about -10°F.
When does New Mexico Agave bloom?
Each rosette blooms once, on a branching stalk about 10 feet tall. Reddish buds open to yellow flowers. The rosette then dies, and its pups keep the clump going.
Where is New Mexico Agave native?
It grows wild in southeastern New Mexico and west Texas. It lives on rocky limestone slopes from about 1,400 to 7,000 feet.
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.