Actual size and flowering may vary slightly based on season.
Silver Peso Agave
Silver Peso Agave is a center-striped selection of smooth agave, grown by local Arizona growers. Each fleshy, arching leaf carries a lighter stripe down its middle, on a plant with mostly smooth leaf edges. It forms a rosette about 2 to 3 feet tall and 3 to 4 feet wide, and fills in quickly. It suits a large pot or a bed along a walk that gets morning sun and afternoon shade.
Best for: a large pot as a single accent, beds along walks that get morning sun, and mass plantings in filtered shade out of the western sun. A striped, soft-leaved agave that clumps.
Plant one in a single large pot for a bold accent. Use well-drained soil and a pot with a drainage hole, and keep the pot out of western afternoon sun.
Striped forms of smooth agave need shelter from the western afternoon sun in Phoenix. A bed with morning sun, or dappled shade under a light tree, works well.
Smooth agave has mostly smooth leaf edges, so it is used along walks and patios. Set plants about 4 to 6 feet apart, and let the pups fill in.
Hot western sun is hard on the striped leaves. Frost can damage smooth agave in the colder parts of the Valley. Wet soil rots the roots, and each leaf 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. On frost nights, cover it with frost cloth that reaches the ground and take it off in the morning. Move potted plants under a patio cover.
It grows fast and pups 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 Silver Peso Agave?
It is a center-striped (medio-picta) selection of smooth agave, Agave desmettiana, from local Arizona growers. It has smooth agave's soft, arching leaves with a lighter stripe down the middle of each.
Does Silver Peso Agave need shade in Phoenix?
Yes. Striped forms of smooth agave need protection from the western afternoon sun in Phoenix. Morning sun, or filtered shade all day, suits it best.
How big does it get?
Striped smooth agaves grow about 2 to 3 feet tall and 3 to 4 feet wide. They grow fast and pup into a wider clump over time.
How far apart should I plant it?
Plant about 4 to 6 feet apart, center to center. The Spacing tab on this page counts plants for your bed.
How often should I water it?
Once rooted, water only now and then, and less in winter. It handles more water if the soil drains well, but soggy soil rots the roots.
How cold can it take?
Smooth agave is listed as hardy to about 20 to 27°F, and needs frost protection in the colder parts of the Valley. Cover it with frost cloth on freeze nights, or move a pot against the house.
Does it make pups?
Yes, smooth agave makes pups at the base. Cut the root that joins a pup to the mother, or push a shovel down between them, then let the pup dry before planting.
When does it bloom?
Once, after about 8 to 10 years. A branched stalk 8 to 10 feet tall carries pale yellow flowers, often in late winter or spring. That rosette then dies and its pups carry on.
Does it have spines?
The leaf edges are mostly smooth, with only small teeth now and then. Each leaf ends in a short, sharp reddish tip, so keep it a little back from seating or snip the tips.
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 are the leaves turning soft?
Soft, mushy leaves point to root rot from soil that stays wet. Overwatered agaves also draw the agave snout weevil. Improve drainage and water less.
Does it attract pollinators?
Yes, when it blooms. Night-flying pollinators visit the flowers on the tall stalk.
Silver Peso Agave for sale in Arizona, delivered to you
Silver Peso Agave is a center-striped form of smooth agave, Agave desmettiana. It pairs the soft, arching leaves of smooth agave with a lighter stripe down each leaf. Below is what to expect from it in the Valley, from shade 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 Silver Peso Agave?
It is a center-striped selection of smooth agave from local Arizona growers. The leaves are soft and arching, with a lighter stripe down the middle. Smooth agave itself is known only in gardens and traces back to Mexico.
Where to plant Silver Peso Agave in Phoenix
Give it morning sun and shade from the western afternoon sun. Striped smooth agaves need that protection here. Filtered shade under a light tree canopy also works.
How big does Silver Peso Agave get?
Expect about 2 to 3 feet tall and 3 to 4 feet wide, and it grows fast. Pups fill in around the base over the years.
How far apart do you plant Silver Peso Agave?
Plant about 4 to 6 feet apart center to center. Each plant reaches 3 to 4 feet wide. The Spacing tab on this page counts plants for your bed.
Watering Silver Peso Agave
Once rooted it needs water only now and then, with less in winter. It can take more water where the soil drains fast. Wet soil causes root rot.
Is Silver Peso Agave frost hardy?
Smooth agave is listed as hardy to about 20 to 27°F. In the colder parts of the Valley it needs frost protection. Frost cloth that reaches the ground works on freeze nights.
Silver Peso vs Margarita Agave
Both are selections of smooth agave with the same soft leaves, pups and care. Silver Peso carries a lighter stripe down each leaf, and striped forms need more shelter from western sun.
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.