Actual size and flowering may vary slightly based on season.
Variegated Tropical Agave
Variegated Tropical Agave is the gold-edged form of smooth agave. Its arching green leaves carry bright golden yellow bands along the edges, which are mostly smooth. It grows fast to about 2 to 3 feet tall and 3 to 4 feet wide. Set one in a big pot as an accent, or plant a group for a clean, simple look.
Best for: a single accent in a large pot, groups planted in beds and borders, and spots with light, filtered shade. Gold-edged leaves on a fast, tidy rosette.
A single plant in a large pot makes a strong accent by a door or on a patio. It does well in pots in soil that drains well.
Planted in a group, it gives a low-care, simple look. Space plants about 4 to 6 feet apart, center to center.
It takes full sun and reflected heat, but it looks better in filtered shade in the low desert. Light, dappled shade from a desert tree suits it.
Hard frost below about 20 to 27°F damages it. Harsh afternoon sun and reflected heat can wear on the leaves, so some shade in summer helps.
- Close group4 ft apart
- Standard5 ft apart
- Loose planting6 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 takes more water than most agaves if the soil drains well. Water deeply about every 10 to 14 days in summer, less in spring and fall. Cut back on water by October.
It is hardy to about 20 to 27°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, and they carry on after the mother plant blooms and dies. 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.
What is the difference between variegated and green tropical agave?
The variegated form has bright golden yellow bands along the leaf edges. Both are Agave desmettiana, also called smooth agave, and grow to a similar size.
Can it take full sun in Phoenix?
It can take full sun and reflected heat, but it looks better in filtered shade in the low desert. Shelter from harsh afternoon sun helps in summer.
How big does it get?
It grows about 2 to 3 feet tall and 3 to 4 feet wide. It makes pups, so a clump spreads over time.
How fast does it grow?
It grows fast, the same as the green form, so a small plant fills out quickly. Give it the full 3 to 4 feet of width from the start.
How far apart should I plant it?
Plant them about 4 to 6 feet apart, center to center. The Spacing tab shows the tiers.
Does it have spines?
The leaf edges are mostly smooth, with tiny teeth on some leaves, and each leaf ends in a dark reddish-brown tip spine. You can snip the tips off, and they do not grow back.
How often should I water it?
It needs little water once rooted. Water when the soil is dry, and a little more often in extreme heat. It also takes regular watering if the soil drains well.
How cold can it take?
It is hardy to about 20 to 27°F. On hard frost nights, cover it with frost cloth that reaches the ground, or move a pot under a patio cover.
Does it make pups?
Yes. Pups at the base keep the planting going after the mother plant blooms and dies. The flower stalk can also carry small plantlets.
Does it bloom?
Yes, once, after many years. A branched stalk carries pale yellow flowers, then that rosette dies and its pups carry on.
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.
Does it attract pollinators?
Yes, when it blooms. Night-flying pollinators visit the flowers on the tall stalk.
Variegated Tropical Agave for sale in Arizona, delivered to you
Variegated Tropical Agave, Agave desmettiana 'Variegata', is a gold-edged smooth agave. It grows fast and makes pups. Below is what to expect in a Valley yard: sun and shade, size, spacing, water, frost, pups, spines and how it compares to the green form.
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Variegated vs green tropical agave
Both are Agave desmettiana, the smooth agave. The variegated form adds bright golden yellow bands along the leaf edges and grows to a similar size and speed.
Does Variegated Tropical Agave need shade in Phoenix?
It takes full sun and reflected heat, but it looks better in filtered shade in the low desert. Shelter from harsh afternoon sun helps in summer.
How far apart do you plant Variegated Tropical Agave?
Space them about 4 to 6 feet apart, center to center. Each rosette grows about 3 to 4 feet wide.
Can Variegated Tropical Agave grow in a pot?
Yes. A single plant in a large pot makes a strong accent. Use soil that drains well and move the pot under cover on hard frost nights.
Is Variegated Tropical Agave cold hardy?
It is hardy to about 20 to 27°F. On the coldest Valley nights, cover it with frost cloth that reaches the ground and take it off in the morning.
How big does Variegated Tropical Agave get?
About 2 to 3 feet tall and 3 to 4 feet wide. It grows fast and adds pups at the base.
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.