Actual size and flowering may vary slightly based on season.
Sebastian's Agave
Sebastian's Agave comes from Cedros, Natividad and West San Benito Islands off the Pacific coast of Baja California. It forms a rounded rosette of fleshy, pale gray to blue-gray leaves lined with large dark, curving teeth. Over time it pups from the base into a cluster. It suits a sunny, dry garden and needs little water.
Best for: sunny, dry succulent gardens, a pale accent against darker plants, and spots that stay on the dry side in summer.
The pale gray to blue-gray leaves with dark, curving teeth contrast with darker plants in a succulent or dry garden. Set it where the teeth catch the light.
Plant it in full sun in soil that drains well. It is drought tolerant and does not like to be overwatered in summer.
It often suckers from the base and forms a cluster of rosettes over time. Leave room for the cluster to spread a few feet.
Too much water in summer, or soil that stays wet, can rot it. The large dark teeth and tip spine are sharp, so keep it away from walks, play areas and pools.
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.
Most plants never need 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.
It does not like to be overwatered in summer. Water only after the soil has dried out, and skip water in winter unless it has been dry for weeks.
It is hardy to about 20 to 25°F, with leaf damage below that. Drape frost cloth to the ground on hard freeze nights 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.
Where does Sebastian's Agave come from?
It grows wild on West San Benito, Natividad and Cedros Islands off the Pacific coast of Baja California. It is closely related to Shaw's agave.
How big does it get?
Each rosette grows about 2 to 3 feet across. With pups it can form a cluster about 3 to 5 feet wide, and heights run from about 1.5 to 5 feet.
How much sun does it need?
Plant it in full sun. It also takes light shade, so a spot with a little afternoon shade works too.
How often should I water it?
Water it only now and then. It is drought tolerant and does not like to be overwatered in summer, so let the soil dry out between soaks and keep it dry in winter.
How cold can it take?
It is listed as hardy to about 20 to 25°F, with leaf damage below that. Cover it with frost cloth that reaches the ground on hard freeze nights.
Does Sebastian's Agave make pups?
Yes. It often suckers from the base and forms a cluster. Cut pups free with a clean knife and let them dry several days before planting.
Does it bloom?
Yes, but not often. Mature plants send up a stalk of yellow flowers after many years, and then that rosette dies.
Are the teeth sharp?
Yes. The leaf edges carry large, dark, curving teeth and each leaf ends in a long dark spine. Keep it back from walks and pools.
Is it poisonous to pets?
Agave sap can irritate a pet's mouth and skin if chewed and upset the stomach. The teeth and tip can also poke. Keep pets from chewing on it.
Sebastian's Agave for sale in Arizona, delivered to you
Sebastian's Agave is an island agave from off the coast of Baja California, close kin to Shaw's agave. Its pale gray leaves and dark teeth stand out in a dry garden. Below is what to expect from it in the Valley, from size, sun and water to cold, pups and blooming.
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 Sebastian's Agave?
It is an island agave from off the Pacific coast of Baja California. The fleshy leaves are pale gray to blue-gray with large, dark, curving teeth. It is closely related to Shaw's agave.
How big does Sebastian's Agave get?
Rosettes grow about 2 to 3 feet across. It suckers from the base and can form a cluster about 3 to 5 feet wide.
How often do you water Sebastian's Agave?
Water it only now and then, because it does not like much water in summer. Let the soil dry between waterings and keep it dry in winter.
Is Sebastian's Agave cold hardy?
It is listed as hardy to about 20 to 25°F. On hard freeze nights, cover it with frost cloth to the ground.
Does Sebastian's Agave bloom?
It blooms rarely, with yellow flowers on mature plants after many years. The rosette that blooms dies, and its pups carry on.
Where to plant Sebastian's Agave
Give it full sun and well-drained soil in a dry part of the garden. Keep it back from paths because of its large, sharp teeth.
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.