Actual size and flowering may vary slightly based on season.
Snowfall Agave
Snowfall Agave is a variegated butterfly agave with gray-green to silvery blue leaves bordered in creamy white. It forms an open, symmetrical rosette about 1 to 2 feet tall and 2 to 3 feet wide. Each leaf has reddish brown teeth and a corkscrew tip spine. Set it in a large pot or a bed with light shade in the Valley.
Best for: large pots on a patio, small rock gardens, and beds under the filtered shade of a small desert tree, where its symmetrical, cream-edged rosette stands out.
The open, symmetrical rosette stays about 1 to 2 feet tall, which suits a large pot. A pot also lets you move it under cover on frost nights.
In the low desert, butterfly agaves do best in some shade. The filtered shade of a small desert tree is a good spot for it.
The creamy white borders and reddish teeth stand out among rocks and gravel. It grows as a single rosette, so it stays tidy.
Full low desert sun is hard on butterfly agaves, so give it some shade. Frost below about 25°F damages it, and soil that stays wet can rot the roots.
- Tight group2 ft apart
- Looser group3 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. Then water about every other week while nights stay above 60°F. A light shade cloth for the first few weeks helps it settle in.
Once rooted, give it some extra water. Water about every 10 to 14 days in summer and every 3 to 4 weeks in spring and fall. Cut back on water by October. Let the soil dry between waterings, since wet soil rots the roots.
Most agaves need no fertilizer. If you feed, use a light balanced fertilizer in spring or early summer and water it in, never on a new transplant and never in fall or winter. No pruning is needed.
On frost nights, cover it with frost cloth that reaches the ground and take it off in the morning. A potted plant can move under a patio cover. Keep the soil dry in winter.
Watch for wilting or wrinkled leaves and a plant that rocks loose. Overwatered agaves draw the beetle, so keep the soil on the dry side. Remove an infested plant and the grubs in the soil 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.
What is Snowfall Agave?
It is a variegated form of butterfly agave, Agave potatorum. It grows to full butterfly agave size, with creamy white borders on gray-green to silvery blue leaves.
How big does it get?
It grows about 1 to 2 feet tall and 2 to 3 feet wide, in an open, symmetrical rosette. Give it that much room in a pot or bed.
Does it need shade in Phoenix?
Yes, it needs some. In the low desert, butterfly agaves do best in some shade, such as the filtered shade of a small desert tree.
How often should I water it?
Give it occasional extra water once rooted. Let the soil dry between waterings and keep it drier in winter.
How cold can it take?
It is hardy to about 25°F. On colder nights, cover it with frost cloth that reaches the ground, or move a pot under a patio cover.
Does it make pups?
No. It grows as a single rosette, so there is nothing to pull.
Does it have spines?
Yes. Reddish brown teeth line the leaf edges and each leaf ends in a corkscrew tip spine. Wear gloves and keep it back from paths.
Does it bloom?
Yes, but rarely, and only once. The stalk carries yellow flowers, and then the rosette dies, so plan to replace it.
Can I grow it in a pot?
Yes. It suits a large container. Use a fast-draining mix and move the pot under cover on frost nights.
When is the best time to plant Snowfall Agave?
Spring, March through May, is best, and early summer and early fall also work. In midsummer, shade a new plant for a few weeks. In winter, roots grow slowly, so hold off on water.
Is it poisonous to dogs or cats?
Agave is mildly poisonous if chewed. The sap can irritate a pet's mouth and skin and upset the stomach, and the teeth can scratch. Keep pets from chewing on it.
Snowfall Agave for sale in Arizona, delivered to you
Snowfall Agave, Agave potatorum 'Snowfall', is a variegated butterfly agave with creamy white leaf borders. Below is what to expect in a Valley yard, including shade, size, water, frost, spines and pots.
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 Snowfall Agave?
Snowfall Agave is a variegated butterfly agave, Agave potatorum 'Snowfall'. Its gray-green to silvery blue leaves carry creamy white borders.
How big does Snowfall Agave get?
It grows about 1 to 2 feet tall and 2 to 3 feet wide, in an open, symmetrical rosette. It grows as a single rosette with no pups.
Does Snowfall Agave need shade in Phoenix?
Yes, it needs some. Butterfly agaves do best in the low desert with some shade, such as the filtered shade of a small desert tree.
Is Snowfall Agave cold hardy?
It is hardy to about 25°F. Cover it with frost cloth on colder nights, or keep it in a pot you can move under cover.
Can Snowfall Agave grow in a pot?
Yes. It suits a large container on a patio. Use a fast-draining mix and water less in winter.
How often do you water Snowfall Agave?
Give it occasional extra water once rooted and let the soil dry between waterings. Wet soil can rot the roots.
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.