Actual size and flowering may vary slightly based on season.
Whale's Tongue Agave
Whale's Tongue Agave forms a wide, open rosette of short, broad, blue-gray leaves that cup upward like a whale's tongue. It stays a single rosette with no pups, growing slowly to about 2 to 5 feet tall and 3 to 6 feet wide. It takes hard cold, heat and drought, and makes a bold gray focal point in a desert garden, near boulders or in a large pot. Give it fast-draining soil and very little water.
Best for: a gray focal point in a desert garden, spots near boulders or under the light shade of a tree, and large pots or low planters.
Its wide blue-gray rosette stands out next to green plants and boulders. Plant one as a focal point, or group several about 6 to 8 feet apart center to center.
In the Valley it looks best with some afternoon shade, such as the dappled shade of a small desert tree. Intense summer sun can yellow the leaves.
It grows slowly and makes no pups, so it can stay in the same large pot for years. Use cactus soil and a pot with good drainage holes.
Its roots rot faster than most agaves, so keep it away from lawns and plants on regular water. The hooked teeth and sharp tips make it a poor fit by sidewalks, pools and front doors.
- Closer group6 ft apart
- Looser group8 ft apart
Set it in dry soil at the depth it grew in the pot. Hold off watering for about 1 to 2 weeks in warm weather, or up to a month when it is cool. Then water about every other week while nights stay above 60°F. Light shade cloth for the first few weeks helps it settle.
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. Cut back by October and let winter rain carry it.
It rarely needs any fertilizer. If you do feed, use a light balanced fertilizer in spring or early summer, never on a new plant and never in fall or winter. No pruning is needed beyond removing dead lower leaves.
It takes full sun, but in the low desert give it some afternoon shade, such as the filtered shade of a small tree. Intense summer sun can yellow the leaves.
Its roots rot more easily than most agaves. Plant it in fast-draining soil, away from lawns and regularly watered beds, and water only now and then.
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 Whale's Tongue Agave get?
It grows about 2 to 5 feet tall and 3 to 6 feet wide. It is slow, and more water makes it grow faster and larger. Plan the spot for the full width.
How far apart should I plant it?
Plant about 6 to 8 feet apart, center to center. The Spacing tab on this page counts plants for your bed.
Does it make pups?
No. It stays a single rosette, so it will not spread into a colony and needs no pup pulling.
Does Whale's Tongue need shade in Phoenix?
It takes full sun, but in the low desert it looks best with some afternoon shade, such as dappled shade under a tree. Full summer sun can yellow the leaves.
How cold hardy is it?
It handles cold very well. It is rated to about 5°F, with ratings from about 0°F to 10°F. It handles dry cold better than wet cold, so keep the soil dry in winter.
How often should I water it?
Water it only now and then once it is rooted. Its roots rot more easily than most agaves, so do not plant it next to lawns or plants on regular water.
Does Whale's Tongue bloom?
It blooms only once, at the end of its life, often after 10 to 20 years. A branched stalk about 10 to 14 feet tall carries greenish-yellow flowers, and then the plant dies. Remove it once the stalk dries.
Do pollinators visit the flowers?
Yes. When it blooms, the stalk draws hummingbirds, bats, bees and moths, so leave it standing until the flowers finish.
Are the leaves sharp?
Yes. The edges carry hooked teeth and each leaf ends in a long, sharp spine. Keep it away from sidewalks, pools and front doors. Clipping the tips helps, but the edge teeth remain.
Can I grow it in a pot?
Yes. It is slow and makes no pups, so it can stay in one large pot for years. Use cactus soil and a pot with good drainage.
Can the sap bother my skin?
Yes, agave sap causes a rash in some people. Wear gloves and long sleeves when you handle it or clip the tips.
Whale's Tongue Agave for sale in Arizona, delivered to you
Whale's Tongue Agave is a blue-gray agave from the mountains of northeastern Mexico, grown for its broad, cupped leaves and toughness in heat and cold. Below is what to expect from it in the Valley, from shade and water to size, spacing 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 Whale's Tongue Agave need shade in Phoenix?
It grows in full sun, but in the low desert it looks best with some afternoon shade. The dappled shade of a small desert tree keeps the silver-blue leaves from yellowing.
How big does Whale's Tongue Agave get?
It grows about 2 to 5 feet tall and 3 to 6 feet wide. Growth is slow, and it stays a single rosette with no pups.
How far apart do you plant Whale's Tongue Agave?
Plant about 6 to 8 feet apart center to center. The Spacing tab on this page counts plants for your bed.
How cold hardy is Whale's Tongue Agave?
It handles cold well, and it is rated to about 5°F, far colder than a Valley winter. Keep it dry in winter, since cold, wet soil is harder on it than cold air.
How often do you water Whale's Tongue Agave?
Water it only now and then once it is rooted. Its roots are especially prone to rot, so plant it in fast-draining soil and away from regularly watered plants.
Whale's Tongue Agave in a pot
Its slow growth and lack of pups make it a good large container plant. Use cactus soil and a pot with good drainage holes.
When does Whale's Tongue Agave bloom?
It blooms once, often after 10 to 20 years, on a branched stalk about 10 to 14 feet tall. The flowers draw hummingbirds, bats and bees, and the plant dies after it blooms.
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.