Actual size and flowering may vary slightly based on season.
Octopus Agave
Octopus Agave is a large, fast agave with long, arching, light green leaves that curl like octopus arms. The leaf edges are smooth, with no teeth, and each leaf ends in a soft tip, so it is friendlier near people than most agaves. It grows about 4 feet tall and 5 to 6 feet wide. Use it as a focal point in a desert bed, by a patio or pool, or in a large pot.
Best for: a focal point in a desert bed, spots near patios, walks and pools where a spiny agave would be a hazard, and large pots.
Its leaf edges are smooth and the tips are soft, so it suits spots near sidewalks, patios and pools. Leave room for its 5 to 6 foot spread so the arms do not crowd the walk.
Plant one alone or in a group of three or more as a strong accent. Space plants about 6 to 8 feet apart so each rosette can reach its full spread.
It makes a handsome large container plant. Use a pot with excellent drainage and cactus soil, and water more often than plants in the ground.
Against a west wall or in reflected heat, the leaf tips burn and the plant can yellow. It gets big, so it outgrows small beds. It lives about 7 to 10 years, then blooms and dies.
- Group planting6-8 ft apart
- Full spread8-12 ft apart
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.
Too much sun can yellow the leaves and burn the tips. Plant it in dappled shade or where it is shaded in the afternoon, and never against a west wall or in reflected heat.
It is hardy to about 20 to 24°F, and young plants can take freeze damage. On hard freeze nights, drape frost cloth to the ground and remove it in the morning.
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 Octopus Agave safe near a pool or walkway?
It is one of the better agaves for that. The leaf edges are smooth, with no teeth, and each tip is soft. Give it room for its spread so the leaves stay out of the path.
How big does Octopus Agave get?
It grows about 4 feet tall and 5 to 6 feet wide, sometimes a little more. It grows fast, so plan for the full size when you plant.
How far apart should I plant it?
Plant about 6 to 8 feet apart, center to center, or up to 8 to 12 feet so each plant reaches its full spread. The Spacing tab on this page counts plants for your bed.
Does Octopus Agave need shade in Phoenix?
It takes full sun, but too much sun can turn it yellow and burn the leaf tips. It looks best in dappled shade or out of the afternoon sun. Avoid west walls and reflected heat.
How often should I water it?
Once rooted, water about every 2 to 4 weeks in summer and every 3 to 5 weeks in spring and fall. Skip winter water if it rains. More water makes it grow faster and reach the end of its life sooner.
How long does Octopus Agave live?
It is short-lived for an agave, usually about 7 to 10 years. Then it blooms once and dies, so save a few of the baby plants from the flower stalk.
What happens when it blooms?
It sends up a flower stalk 10 to 15 feet tall with cream-yellow flowers. The stalk also grows hundreds of small baby plants you can pick off and plant. The mother plant then dies.
Does Octopus Agave make pups?
No, it makes very few pups, if any. Unlike most agaves, it carries on through the baby plants on its flower stalk instead, so plant a few of those if you want more.
Do hummingbirds visit the flowers?
Yes. When it blooms, the flowers draw hummingbirds, and night pollinators visit the stalk too.
How cold can Octopus Agave take?
It is listed as hardy to about 20 to 24°F, and young plants can get freeze damage. Cover it with frost cloth on hard freeze nights.
Does it need pruning?
No, it does not need pruning. Just remove dead lower leaves if you like.
Can the sap bother my skin?
Yes, it can. Agave sap causes a rash in some people. Wear gloves and long sleeves when you handle cut leaves.
Octopus Agave for sale in Arizona, delivered to you
Octopus Agave is a fast, soft-tipped agave from northwestern Mexico, named for its curling, tentacle-like leaves. It is one of the agaves people plant near patios and pools. Below is what to expect from it in the Valley, from sun, water and size to spacing, blooming and its baby plants.
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 Octopus Agave good by a pool?
Yes, it is a soft agave. The leaves have smooth edges and soft tips, so it is a better choice than most agaves near pools, sidewalks and patios. Keep its 5 to 6 foot spread in mind.
Does Octopus Agave need afternoon shade in Phoenix?
It tolerates full sun, but in the Valley it looks best in dappled shade or out of the afternoon sun. On a west wall or in reflected heat, the leaves can yellow and the tips burn.
How far apart do you plant Octopus Agave?
Plant about 6 to 8 feet apart center to center, and up to 8 to 12 feet for full spread. The Spacing tab on this page counts plants for your bed.
How often do you water Octopus Agave in Arizona?
Water about every 2 to 4 weeks in summer and every 3 to 5 weeks in spring and fall. No water is needed in winter if it rains. Pots need water more often.
Why does Octopus Agave die?
It is short-lived, usually about 7 to 10 years. Then it sends up a 10 to 15 foot flower stalk and dies. The stalk leaves behind many baby plants to replant.
Octopus Agave vs smooth agave
The two look a lot alike. Octopus agave is larger, about 4 feet tall and 5 to 6 feet wide. Smooth agave grows taller than wide and is less cold hardy.
Is Octopus Agave cold hardy?
It is listed as hardy to about 20 to 24°F. Young plants can get freeze damage, so cover them with frost cloth on hard freeze nights.
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.