Actual size and flowering may vary slightly based on season.
Variegated Murphey's Agave
Variegated Murphey's Agave is the striped form of the Hohokam agave, with yellow bands along the edges of its gray-green leaves. It grows about 3 feet tall and wide and takes full sun and extreme heat on little water. It was selected by an Arizona plantsman from plants collected in 1974. Use it as an accent in a bed, a border or a big pot.
Best for: sunny beds and borders, hot south and west sides, and big pots. A yellow-striped accent that takes Valley heat on very little water.
It takes full sun, extreme heat and reflected heat once rooted, on very little water. A bed along a hot south or west wall suits it.
The yellow edges stand out against gravel and green desert plants. Plant them about 2 to 3 feet apart, center to center, for a group.
At about 3 feet tall and wide, it fits a large pot or raised bed. Use a pot and soil that drain well and pull pups to keep one rosette.
The leaf edges carry sharp teeth and the tip is sharp, so keep it back from sidewalks. Soil that stays wet can rot it.
- Group planting2 ft apart
- Standard3 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.
Water deeply about every 10 to 14 days in summer and every 3 to 4 weeks in spring and fall. Cut back by October and let winter rain do the rest. Let the soil dry between waterings.
Arizona growers rate it from about 10°F to 24°F, so a normal Valley winter is fine. Keep the soil dry in winter, since cold, wet soil is when rot sets in.
It makes pups at the base, and the flower stalk carries small plantlets you can plant too. 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.
Where did the variegated Murphey's Agave come from?
Arizona plantsman Rodney Engard selected it from plants collected in 1974. Clones of it are sold as 'Rodney' or 'Engard'.
How big does it get?
It grows about 2 to 3 feet tall and about 3 feet wide, the same size as the regular green Murphey's Agave.
How far apart should I plant it?
Plant them about 2 to 3 feet apart, center to center. The Spacing tab shows the tiers.
Can it take full sun and reflected heat?
Yes. It takes full sun, extreme heat and reflected heat once rooted, on very little water.
How often should I water it?
Once rooted, water deeply about every 10 to 14 days in summer and every 3 to 4 weeks in spring and fall. It needs little or no water in winter.
How cold can it take?
Growers list it hardy from about 10°F to 24°F. A normal Valley winter is fine. On the rare hard freeze, cover it with frost cloth to the ground.
Does it make pups?
Yes. It makes pups at the base, and the flower stalk carries many small plantlets you can plant. The pups carry on after the mother plant dies.
Does it bloom?
Yes, once, after many years. A stalk about 10 to 13 feet tall blooms in spring with yellowish flowers, and then the mother plant dies.
Does it have sharp teeth?
Yes. The leaf edges carry sharp, spaced teeth and the tip is sharp. Keep it back from sidewalks and wear heavy gloves to handle it.
Is Murphey's Agave native to Arizona?
Yes. It is native to central Arizona and northern Mexico, and the Hohokam grew it for food. This striped form was selected in Arizona.
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.
Variegated Murphey's Agave for sale in Arizona, delivered to you
Variegated Murphey's Agave is a yellow-striped form of Agave murpheyi, the agave the Hohokam grew in central Arizona. Below is what to expect in a Valley yard: sun and heat, size, spacing, water, cold, pups, blooming and teeth.
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 variegated Murphey's Agave?
It is a yellow-striped form of Agave murpheyi, the Hohokam agave of central Arizona. An Arizona plantsman selected it from plants collected in 1974, and it is sold as 'Rodney' or 'Engard'.
Can variegated Murphey's Agave take full sun in Phoenix?
Yes. It takes full sun, extreme heat and reflected heat on very little water. A hot south or west bed suits it.
How big does variegated Murphey's Agave get?
About 2 to 3 feet tall and about 3 feet wide. It grows at a moderate pace, and its size matches the green form.
How far apart do you plant variegated Murphey's Agave?
Space them about 2 to 3 feet apart, center to center. Keep them back from sidewalks, since the leaf edges carry sharp teeth.
How often do you water variegated Murphey's Agave?
Once rooted, a deep soak about every 10 to 14 days in summer is plenty. Water every 3 to 4 weeks in spring and fall and little or none in winter.
Variegated vs green Murphey's Agave
Both grow the same size and at the same pace and take the same sun and water. The variegated form adds yellow bands along the leaf edges.
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.