Actual size and flowering may vary slightly based on season.
Tequila Sunrise Agave
Tequila Sunrise Agave is a variegated form of the blue agave used to make tequila. Its long, narrow, sword-shaped leaves carry bands of golden yellow. It grows into a bold rosette about 3 to 5 feet tall and 4 to 6 feet wide. It takes full sun or part sun and needs little water once rooted.
Best for: a bold variegated accent in a desert bed, a large container, and a low-water planting with room to spread.
The golden yellow bands make it a bright accent in a desert bed or rock garden. Set it where it has open space all around, since the rosette grows 4 to 6 feet wide.
It grows well in a container. Use a large pot with a drainage hole and a loose, fast-draining mix, and let the mix dry between waterings.
Once rooted it needs little water, so it fits a low-water bed. Give it about 4 to 6 feet of width as it fills out, since the rosette spreads wide.
It is rated to only about 25°F, so cover it on hard freeze nights. Soggy soil can rot it. The leaf teeth and tip spine are sharp, so keep it back from walks and pools.
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.
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. Give little or no water in winter.
It is rated to only about 25°F. On hard freeze nights, drape frost cloth to the ground and take it off in the morning. Potted plants can move to a sheltered spot by the house.
It makes pups around the main plant. Dig out the ones you do not want, and let cut pups dry for several days before you replant them.
Most agaves need no fertilizer. If you feed it, use a light balanced fertilizer in spring or early summer, never on a new transplant and never in fall or winter. It does not need any pruning.
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 Tequila Sunrise Agave?
It is a variegated form of Agave tequilana, the blue agave used to make tequila. Its leaves carry golden yellow bands instead of being solid blue-gray.
How is it different from plain Agave tequilana?
It is the same species and grows into the same kind of rosette. The difference is the color: the plain blue agave has blue-gray leaves, while this form has bright yellow bands on its leaves.
How big does Tequila Sunrise Agave get?
It grows about 3 to 5 feet tall and 4 to 6 feet wide. Its sword-shaped leaves reach about 3 to 5 feet long, so give it open space on all sides.
Does it need full sun or shade?
It takes full sun or part sun. A spot with some shade during part of the day also works.
How often should I water it?
Once rooted it needs little water. Water deeply about every 2 weeks in summer and every 3 to 4 weeks in spring and fall, and let the soil dry out between soaks. Water little or none in winter.
How cold hardy is it?
It is rated to about 25°F, and it needs frost protection on colder nights. Drape frost cloth or a sheet all the way to the ground, not plastic, and take it off in the morning.
Does it make pups?
Yes, like the plain blue agave, it makes pups. Dig out the ones you do not want, and let cut pups dry for several days before you replant them.
Does Tequila Sunrise Agave bloom?
Each rosette blooms only once, after many years. A mature rosette sends up a tall stalk of yellow flowers and then dies, while its pups carry on.
Can I grow it in a pot?
Yes, it does well in a container. Use a large pot with a drainage hole and a loose, fast-draining mix, and water when the mix is dry.
Are the leaves sharp?
Yes. The leaf edges carry small teeth and each leaf ends in a short, sharp tip spine. Keep it back from walks, patios and pools, or snip the tips.
Is it poisonous to pets?
Agave sap can irritate a pet's mouth and skin and upset the stomach if chewed, though it is rarely serious. The spines can also poke. Keep pets from chewing on it.
Tequila Sunrise Agave for sale in Arizona, delivered to you
Tequila Sunrise Agave is a yellow-variegated form of Agave tequilana, the blue agave behind tequila. It brings the same bold rosette of long, narrow leaves with bright golden color. Below is what to expect in a Valley yard, from size and sun to water, cold and pups.
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 Tequila Sunrise Agave?
Tequila Sunrise Agave is a variegated form of Agave tequilana, the blue agave used to make tequila. Its long, narrow leaves carry golden yellow bands. It grows into the same bold rosette as the plain blue agave.
Tequila Sunrise Agave vs blue agave
Both are the same species and grow into the same bold rosette. The plain blue agave has solid blue-gray leaves. Tequila Sunrise has bright yellow bands on its leaves.
How big does Tequila Sunrise Agave get?
It grows about 3 to 5 feet tall and 4 to 6 feet wide. The leaves reach about 3 to 5 feet long. Give it open space on all sides.
Sun and water for Tequila Sunrise Agave in Phoenix
It takes full sun or part sun. Once rooted, water deeply about every 2 weeks in summer and every 3 to 4 weeks in spring and fall. Give it little or no water in winter.
Is Tequila Sunrise Agave cold hardy?
It is rated to about 25°F and needs frost protection on colder nights. Drape frost cloth to the ground on hard freeze nights and remove it in the morning.
Tequila Sunrise Agave in pots
It does well in a large container. Use a pot with a drainage hole and a loose, fast-draining mix. Pots dry out faster than the ground, so check the mix more often in summer.
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.