Actual size and flowering may vary slightly based on season.
Parry's Agave
Parry's Agave is a compact Arizona native agave with gray-blue leaves in a tight, round rosette. It grows about 2 to 3 feet tall and wide, slowly, and makes pups at the base over time. It takes full sun, very little water and hard cold, so it works in open desert yards, rock gardens and large pots. In summer, after many years, it sends up a tall stalk of bright yellow flowers.
Best for: open desert yards and native plantings, rock gardens and gravel beds, and large pots in full sun. A slow, compact agave that handles heat, drought and hard cold, and fills in with pups over the years.
It takes full sun and needs very little water once it is rooted. A deep soak every couple of weeks in summer is plenty, with little or none in winter.
It grows wild in Arizona, New Mexico and Mexico, on rocky slopes above the desert. It fits a yard planted with other Arizona natives.
At about 2 to 3 feet across, it suits rock gardens, gravel beds and large pots. Use fast-draining soil, and give pups room to fill in around it.
Soil that stays wet can rot it, so plant it where water drains away fast. The leaf tips are very sharp, so keep it back from walks, patios and play areas.
- Tight group2-3 ft apart
- Clump planting3-4 ft apart
Plant into dry soil and wait about 1 to 2 weeks before the first watering in warm weather, or up to a month in cool weather. After that, water about every other week while nights stay above 60°F.
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 makes pups at the base and forms a clump over time. Cut a pup free with a clean knife and let it dry for several days before planting.
Watch for leaves that wilt or wrinkle and a plant that rocks loose. Keep the soil well drained, do not overwater, 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.
Is Parry's Agave native to Arizona?
Yes. It grows wild in Arizona, New Mexico and Mexico, on rocky slopes in grassland, chaparral and oak woodland above the desert floor.
How big does Parry's Agave get?
A single rosette grows slowly to about 1.5 to 2 feet tall and 2 to 3 feet wide. Over the years, pups at the base can turn it into a wider clump.
How cold hardy is Parry's Agave?
It is one of the most cold hardy agaves. Cold ratings run from about 15°F down to well below zero.
How often should I water Parry's Agave?
Once it is rooted, a deep soak about every 2 weeks in summer is plenty. Water every 3 to 4 weeks in spring and fall, and give little or none in winter. Let the soil dry out in between.
Does Parry's Agave need full sun?
It does best in full sun, so give it an open, sunny spot. It will take some part shade.
Does Parry's Agave make pups?
Yes. It makes pups at the base over time, and a single plant can grow into a clump. Cut a pup free with a sharp, clean knife and let the cut dry for several days before planting.
Does Parry's Agave bloom?
It blooms once, then dies. After many years, often 15 to 20 and sometimes up to 30, it sends up a stalk about 12 feet or taller in summer. The flowers are bright yellow, and the pups carry on.
Do the flowers attract wildlife?
Yes. The flower stalk draws bats, moths and other pollinating insects.
Does Parry's Agave have sharp spines?
Yes. Each leaf ends in a long, sharp tip, and the edges have small, sharp teeth. Keep it back from walks, patios, pool edges and play areas, or snip off the tips.
Is Parry's Agave poisonous to dogs or cats?
The sap can irritate skin and a pet's mouth, and the leaf tips can poke. Keep pets from chewing on it. Wear gloves and long sleeves when you cut it.
Can snout weevils get Parry's Agave?
Yes, the agave snout weevil can attack it. Watch for leaves that wilt or wrinkle and a plant that rocks loose. Good drainage and not overwatering help most, and remove an infested plant quickly.
What is the difference between Parry's Agave and Artichoke Agave?
Artichoke Agave is a variety of the same species from Mexico. It has a denser, tighter rosette of wider, silver-blue leaves that looks like an artichoke. Parry's Agave stays about 1.5 to 2 feet tall.
Parry's Agave for sale in Arizona, delivered to you
Parry's Agave is one of the agaves native to Arizona, found wild on rocky slopes in the grasslands and oak woodlands above the desert. It forms a tight gray-blue rosette and takes heat, drought and cold. Below is what to expect from it in a Valley yard, 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.
Is Parry's Agave native to Arizona?
Yes. It grows wild from central Arizona and southwest New Mexico into Mexico. It lives on rocky slopes in grassland, chaparral and oak woodland, above the desert floor.
How big does Parry's Agave get?
A single rosette reaches about 1.5 to 2 feet tall and 2 to 3 feet wide. It grows slowly, so it holds its size for years. Pups at the base can widen it into a clump over time.
How cold hardy is Parry's Agave?
It is one of the most cold hardy agaves you can plant. Cold ratings run from about 15°F down to well below zero.
How often do you water Parry's 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. Always let the soil dry out in between.
How far apart do you plant Parry's Agave?
For a tight group, plant 2 to 3 feet apart center to center. For room to let pups fill in, go 3 to 4 feet apart. The Spacing tab on this page counts plants for your bed.
Does Parry's Agave bloom and die?
Yes. After many years, often 15 to 20 and sometimes up to 30, it sends up a tall summer stalk of bright yellow flowers. The rosette dies after it blooms, and the pups at its base carry on.
Parry's Agave vs Artichoke Agave
Artichoke Agave is a variety of Parry's Agave from Mexico. It has a denser rosette of wider, silver-blue leaves that looks like an artichoke. Parry's Agave grows wild in Arizona.
Growing Parry's Agave in a pot
Its compact size suits a large pot. Use a pot with a drainage hole and fast-draining soil. Water only when the soil is dry.
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