Actual size and flowering may vary slightly based on season.
Variegated Agave Celsii
Variegated agave celsii is a mid-sized agave with broad green leaves edged in creamy white to light yellow. The leaves curve upward and blush pink or red in cool weather. It grows about 2 to 3 feet tall and fits a bed or a large pot in a shady spot. In the Valley it wants shade in the afternoon.
Best for: shady beds under trees, east-facing entries, and large pots on a covered patio. A cream-edged rosette that brightens spots out of the hot afternoon sun.
It does well in the shade of a tree or on the east side of the house. The cream edges stand out in those darker spots, where many agaves would not grow well.
At about 2 to 3 feet tall, it fits a large pot on a covered patio. A pot is also easy to move under cover on frost nights.
The leaf edges have only small, evenly spaced teeth and the tip is soft. It is less fierce than most agaves to plant along a bed where people pass.
Full afternoon sun in the Valley can burn the leaves. Frost below about 25 to 28°F damages it, so it needs cover or shelter on the coldest nights.
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 likes a bit more summer water than most agaves. Water about every 2 weeks in summer, less in spring and fall, and keep it drier in winter.
It takes only light frost, to about 25 to 28°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 makes pups at the base. 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.
Does variegated agave celsii need shade in Phoenix?
Yes. It does best with shade in the afternoon in the Valley. Full hot sun can burn the leaves, so an east side or the shade of a tree suits it.
How big does it get?
It grows about 2 to 3 feet tall and 2 to 4 feet wide. The leaves can reach about 6 inches wide and 2 feet long.
Why does it turn pink or red?
Cool weather or strong sun brings out a pink or red blush on the leaves. That is normal for this plant and is why some growers call it multicolor.
Does it have spines?
It has small, evenly spaced teeth on the leaf edges and a soft tip spine. It is milder to handle than most agaves, but gloves still help.
How often should I water it?
It likes a bit more water in summer than most agaves. Water about every 2 weeks in summer, less in spring and fall, and keep it drier in winter.
How cold can it take?
It handles only light frost, down to about 25 to 28°F. On frost nights, cover it with frost cloth to the ground or move a potted plant under a patio cover.
Does it make pups?
Yes. It makes pups at the base. Cut one off, let the cut dry for several days, then plant it.
Does it bloom?
Yes, once. A stalk about 4 to 6 feet tall carries greenish flowers, and then that rosette dies. The pups at its base carry on.
Is Agave celsii the same as Agave mitis?
Yes. Agave celsii is an older name for Agave mitis, and nurseries sell it under both names.
Why is my agave soft or mushy?
Too much water or soil that stays wet is the common cause, and it leads to rot. Let the soil dry out between waterings and plant it where water drains away.
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. Keep pets from chewing on it.
Variegated Agave Celsii for sale in Arizona, delivered to you
Variegated agave celsii is a striped form of Agave celsii, now also called Agave mitis. Its broad green leaves carry creamy white to light yellow edges. Below is what to expect in a Valley yard: shade, size, water, frost, pups, teeth, color changes and blooming.
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.
Does variegated agave celsii need shade in Arizona?
Yes. In the low desert it needs afternoon shade. An east-facing bed or the shade of a tree works well, and full hot sun can burn the leaves.
How big does variegated agave celsii get?
About 2 to 3 feet tall and 2 to 4 feet wide. Its broad leaves reach about 6 inches wide and 2 feet long, edged in creamy white to light yellow.
Agave celsii vs Agave mitis
They are the same plant. Agave celsii is the older name, and many nurseries still use it. This is a striped form of that species.
How cold hardy is variegated agave celsii?
It takes only a light frost, down to about 25 to 28°F. Cover it with frost cloth that reaches the ground on frost nights, or move a pot under cover.
How often do you water variegated agave celsii in Phoenix?
Water about every 2 weeks in summer and less in spring and fall. Keep it drier in winter. Soil that stays wet can rot it.
Can variegated agave celsii grow in a pot?
Yes. At about 2 to 3 feet tall it fits a large pot, and a pot is easy to move under a patio cover on frost nights.
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