Actual size and flowering may vary slightly based on season.
Squid Agave
Squid Agave is a small agave with soft, lime green leaves that arch and curl like tentacles. The leaves have no spines or teeth, so it is one agave you can plant by a path, a patio or the pool. It grows slowly to about 1 to 2 feet tall and fills in with pups into a low mound. It suits pots, raised planters and small beds, and needs little water once rooted.
Best for: patio pots and raised planters, beds along paths and seating where a spiny agave would snag, poolside planting, and small spots among boulders and other succulents. A soft agave that slowly spreads into a low clump.
Its leaves are soft and bend, with no teeth and no hard tip. That lets you plant it along a walk, next to seating or near the pool deck where a spiny agave would be a hazard.
It stays small and grows slowly, so it holds up in a patio pot or raised planter for years. Use a pot with a drainage hole and fast-draining soil.
Tuck it among boulders or in a small bed with cacti and other succulents. Over time the pups fill in around the mother plant and make a low, spreading mound.
Soil that stays wet can rot it, so skip low spots that hold water. In the hottest all-day sun the leaves can yellow, and light afternoon shade helps. It stays small, so it will not fill a big space.
- Tight group2 ft apart
- Looser group3 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 grows faster with regular summer water, as long as the soil drains well. Water about every 10 to 14 days in summer. Keep it dry in winter.
Growers rate it from about 0°F to 18°F, below a normal Valley winter. Keep the soil dry in winter, since cold, wet soil is when rot sets in.
It makes many pups around the mother plant and forms a clump. It does not always die after blooming. 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.
How big does Squid Agave get?
It grows about 1 to 2 feet tall and 2 to 3 feet wide. It is slow, and over time it spreads wider as pups fill in around it.
Does Squid Agave have spines?
No. The leaves are soft, bendy and smooth along the edges, with no hard tip spine. That is why people plant it near paths, seating and pools.
Can I plant Squid Agave next to the pool?
Yes. Its leaves are soft and spineless, so it is safe to brush past at the pool edge. Plant it where the soil drains well and does not stay soaked from splash water.
Does Squid Agave need shade in Phoenix?
It grows in full sun or part shade. In the hottest spots, light afternoon shade in summer keeps the leaves from yellowing. Filtered shade under a light tree works well.
How often should I water Squid Agave?
Once rooted, a deep soak about every 2 weeks in summer is plenty. Every 3 to 4 weeks in spring and fall, and little or none in winter. It grows faster with a bit more water if the soil drains fast.
Does Squid Agave die after it blooms?
Unlike most agaves, it does not have to die after flowering, and it can bloom more than once. The pups around it keep the clump going either way.
What do Squid Agave flowers look like?
Mature plants send up a stalk about 4 to 6 feet tall. It is packed with white to pale yellow flowers, usually in the warm months.
Does Squid Agave make pups?
Yes. Older plants make pups around the base, which grow into a low, spreading mound. You can cut a pup free with a clean knife, let the cut dry for several days, then plant it.
How cold can Squid Agave take?
Cold hardiness is listed from about 18°F down to 0°F. Wet, cold soil is harder on it than cold air, so keep it on the dry side in winter.
Can I grow Squid Agave in a pot?
Yes, it is well suited to pots and raised planters. Use fast-draining soil and a pot with a drainage hole, and water only when the soil is dry.
Is Squid Agave poisonous to dogs or cats?
It is mildly poisonous if chewed. The sap can irritate a pet's mouth and skin, and cause stomach upset. Keep pets from chewing on it.
Why is my Squid Agave soft or rotting?
Mushy leaves or a collapsing plant point to rot from too much water or soil that drains poorly. Overwatered agaves also draw the agave snout weevil, so cut back the watering.
Squid Agave for sale in Arizona, delivered to you
Squid Agave is a small Mexican agave known for its soft, curling leaves with no spines. Valley gardeners use it in pots, by paths and near pools. Below is what to expect from it in an Arizona 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 Squid Agave a good agave for around a pool?
Its leaves are soft and flexible, with no teeth and no hard tip. That lets you plant it by the pool deck, paths and seating. Give it a spot that drains well.
How big does Squid Agave get in Arizona?
It grows about 1 to 2 feet tall and 2 to 3 feet wide, and growth is slow. Over the years pups fill in around the first plant and make a low mound.
Does Squid Agave need afternoon shade?
It takes full sun or part shade. In the hottest Valley spots, light afternoon shade in summer helps keep the leaves green instead of yellow. Filtered shade under a light tree canopy suits it.
How often do you water Squid Agave?
Once rooted, a deep soak about every 2 weeks in summer is enough. Stretch it to every 3 to 4 weeks in spring and fall, with little or none in winter. Let the soil dry out in between.
How far apart do you plant Squid Agave?
For a group or a border, plant about 2 to 3 feet apart center to center. Each plant reaches 2 to 3 feet across, and pups fill the gaps. The Spacing tab on this page counts plants for your bed.
Does Squid Agave die after it flowers?
Most agaves bloom once and die, but this one does not have to. It can bloom more than once, on a stalk about 4 to 6 feet tall with white to pale yellow flowers. Its pups carry on the clump.
Growing Squid Agave in a pot
Its small size and slow growth suit pots and raised planters. Use fast-draining soil and a pot with a drainage hole. Water when the soil is dry, and less in winter.
Is Squid Agave cold hardy?
Cold hardiness is listed from about 18°F down to 0°F, and cold, wet soil is the bigger risk. On hard freeze nights you can cover it with frost cloth that reaches the ground. Take the cover off in the morning.
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