Actual size and flowering may vary slightly based on season.
Smooth Edge Agave
Smooth Edge Agave, also called Weber's agave, is one of the largest agaves, with wide, fleshy gray-green to blue-green leaves. The leaf edges are smooth or carry only fine teeth near the base. It grows about 5 to 6 feet tall and 6 to 10 feet wide, and makes a bold focal point in an open desert yard. It takes full sun or part shade and little water once rooted.
Best for: a focal point in a large, open desert yard, xeriscapes and rock gardens, and big containers.
It grows 5 to 6 feet tall and up to 10 feet wide. One plant can anchor a large bed, a corner of the yard or an open desert area.
Its wide, fleshy leaves stand out among boulders and gravel. It is drought tolerant and needs only occasional deep water once rooted.
It is also grown in large containers. Use a pot with a drainage hole and fast-draining soil, and water when the soil is dry.
It needs room, so it outgrows small beds and narrow side yards. Weber's agave is one of the agaves snout weevils like most, and overwatered plants are the most at risk.
- Tight group4 ft apart
- Looser group6 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. If leaves yellow in summer heat, give it a little more water.
It makes many pups at the base. Cut one free with a sharp, clean knife, let the cut dry for several days, then plant it and water lightly.
Weevils attack this agave more than most. 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 Smooth Edge Agave the same as Weber's agave?
Yes. Smooth Edge Agave is a common name for Agave weberi, also called Weber's agave or Weber agave.
How big does Smooth Edge Agave get?
It grows about 5 to 6 feet tall and 6 to 10 feet wide. It is one of the largest agaves, so give it plenty of room.
Does it really have smooth edges?
Yes, mostly. Plants vary, from smooth edges to fine teeth near the base of the leaf. Each leaf still ends in a sharp tip spine, so keep it back from walks.
Does it need full sun or shade in Phoenix?
It grows in full sun or part shade, but it tends to look its best in full sun.
How often should I water it?
Once it is 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, and let the soil dry out in between.
Why are the leaves turning yellow in summer?
Yellow leaves in summer are a sign of heat stress. Give it a little more water during the hot months. Soft, mushy leaves are different and point to rot from too much water.
How cold can Smooth Edge Agave take?
It is rated to about 10 to 12°F. On hard freeze nights, young or potted plants can be covered with frost cloth that reaches the ground.
Does it make pups?
Yes, it makes many pups around the base. You can dig them out and replant them, or pull them to keep the plant tidy.
Does Smooth Edge Agave bloom?
It blooms once, then the main plant dies. The yellow flowers come on a tall, branched stalk that can top 15 feet. Small plantlets sometimes form on the stalk, and the pups carry on. The bloom comes in spring or summer.
Is it prone to agave snout weevil?
Yes, Weber's agave is one of the two agaves weevils attack most. Watch for wilting leaves and a plant that rocks loose. Good drainage and not overwatering help most.
Is Smooth Edge Agave poisonous to dogs or cats?
Agave is mildly poisonous if chewed. The sap can irritate a pet's mouth and skin, and the leaf tips can poke. Keep pets from chewing on it.
Smooth Edge Agave for sale in Arizona, delivered to you
Smooth Edge Agave is the nursery name for Weber's agave, a large agave grown in desert landscapes across the Southwest. Its wide leaves have smooth or finely toothed edges. This page covers size, sun, water, cold, pups, blooming and spacing in a Valley yard.
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.
How big does Weber's agave get?
Smooth Edge Agave grows about 5 to 6 feet tall and 6 to 10 feet wide. Its flower stalk can top 15 feet at the end of its life. Plan the spot for the full spread.
Does Smooth Edge Agave have spines?
Its leaf edges are smooth or carry only fine teeth near the base, and plants vary. Each leaf still ends in a sharp tip spine. Plant it back from walks and play areas, or snip off the tips.
How far apart do you plant Smooth Edge Agave?
For a group, plant about 4 to 6 feet apart center to center. Each plant can spread 6 to 10 feet, so leave extra room from walks. The Spacing tab on this page counts plants for your bed.
How often do you water Weber'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. If leaves yellow in summer heat, water a little more.
Is Weber's agave cold hardy in Phoenix?
It is rated to about 10 to 12°F. On hard freeze nights, cover young or potted plants with frost cloth down to the ground, and uncover them in the morning.
Weber's agave and snout weevils
Weber's agave is one of the agaves the snout weevil attacks most. Overwatered, weak plants are the most at risk. Keep drainage fast, don't overwater, and remove an infested plant quickly.
Does Smooth Edge Agave make pups?
Yes, it makes many pups around the base. Cut a pup free with a clean knife, let the cut dry for several days, then plant it and water lightly.
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.