Actual size and flowering may vary slightly based on season.
Yellow Striped Century Plant
Yellow Striped Century Plant has a bright yellow stripe down the middle of each thick, blue-green leaf. It is a smaller century plant, about 2 to 5 feet tall and 3 to 8 feet wide. It makes a strong yellow accent in a desert bed, a border or a large pot. Give it morning sun, some shade from the hot western sun, and very little water.
Best for: east-facing beds and spots with afternoon shade, beds and borders, and large pots. It is a smaller century plant with a bold yellow center stripe that keeps its color best out of the harshest western sun.
An east-facing bed or a spot with afternoon shade suits it best. The yellow stripe stays clean when it is kept out of the intense western sun.
Its smaller size fits beds and borders where the giant century plant would take over. Set it a few steps back from the walk so the spines stay out of reach.
It grows in large patio pots. Use a pot with a drainage hole and fast-draining soil, and water only when the soil is dry.
Hot western sun and reflected heat can scald the yellow leaves. Soggy soil can rot it, and the spined leaves do not belong right next to a walk or pool.
- Closer group6 ft apart
- Looser group8 ft apart
Wait about 1 to 2 weeks after planting before you water, up to a month in cool weather. Then water about every other week while nights are above 60°F, and skip cool weeks unless it has been dry for weeks.
Once it is rooted, water deeply about every 2 weeks in summer, every 3 to 4 weeks in spring and fall, and little or none in winter. Let the soil dry out between soakings.
Give it morning sun and shade from the hot afternoon sun in summer. A new plant can also go under light shade cloth for its first few weeks.
It is rated to about 15 to 20°F. On hard freeze nights, drape frost cloth or a sheet all the way to the ground, not plastic, and uncover it in the morning. Move potted plants next to the house.
It makes lots of pups around the base. Pull them to keep one rosette, or cut them free, let the cut dry for several days, and plant them.
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 Yellow Striped Century Plant get?
It grows about 2 to 5 feet tall and 3 to 8 feet wide, so it stays smaller than the plain century plant.
Does it need afternoon shade in Phoenix?
Yes, it does best out of the intense western sun. The yellow leaves can scald in hot afternoon sun, so morning sun with afternoon shade is the safer spot.
Can it go against a hot west wall?
It is not a good fit there. Strong western sun and reflected heat can scald the yellow part of the leaves. An east side or a spot with afternoon shade works better.
How often should I water it?
Once rooted, a deep soak about every 2 weeks in summer is plenty. Water every 3 to 4 weeks in spring and fall, and little or none in winter. Let the soil dry out in between.
Can I keep it in a pot?
Yes, it grows in large containers. Use a pot with a drainage hole and fast-draining soil, and water when the soil is dry.
Does it make pups?
Yes, it pups freely around the base. Pull them to keep a single rosette, or pot them up. Wear gloves and long sleeves, since the sap can irritate skin.
How cold can it take?
It is rated to about 15 to 20°F. On colder nights, drape frost cloth to the ground and take it off in the morning. Move potted plants next to the house.
Does it bloom?
It blooms only once, when it is about a decade old or more. A tall stalk carries pale yellow flowers that draw hummingbirds, and then that rosette dies. The pups around it live on, so leave a few to keep the planting going.
Is it poisonous to pets?
It is mildly toxic if chewed. The sap can irritate a pet's mouth and skin, and the leaf spines can poke. Keep pets from chewing it.
Can snout weevils attack it?
Yes. Snout weevils favor century plants, and the grubs rot the plant from inside. Keep the soil well drained, do not overwater, and remove an infested plant quickly.
What is the difference between yellow striped and variegated century plant?
The yellow striped century plant has the yellow down the center of each leaf. The variegated century plant has yellow on the edges and grows much larger.
How is yellow striped century plant different from white striped?
Both have a stripe down the center of each leaf. Here it is bright yellow. On the white striped century plant it is creamy white.
Yellow Striped Century Plant for sale in Arizona, delivered to you
Yellow Striped Century Plant is a form of Agave americana with a wide yellow stripe down the center of each leaf. It stays smaller than the classic century plant. Below is what to expect from it in the Valley, from size, sun and water to pups, cold, blooming and spacing.
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 Yellow Striped Century Plant need shade in Phoenix?
It does best with morning sun and cover from the intense western sun. Too much hot afternoon sun can scald the yellow leaves. An east-facing bed is a good spot.
How big does Yellow Striped Century Plant get?
It grows about 2 to 5 feet tall and 3 to 8 feet wide. That is smaller than the classic century plant. Pups can widen the clump over time.
How far apart do you plant Yellow Striped Century Plant?
For a group, plant about 6 to 8 feet apart center to center. That leaves room for the rosettes and the pups that fill in around them. The Spacing tab on this page counts plants for your bed.
How often do you water Yellow Striped Century Plant in Arizona?
Once rooted, water deeply about every 2 weeks in summer. Stretch it to every 3 to 4 weeks in spring and fall, with little or none in winter. Let the soil dry between soaks.
Can Yellow Striped Century Plant grow in a pot?
Yes, it grows in a large container on a patio. Use a pot with a drainage hole and fast-draining soil, and water only when the soil is dry.
Is Yellow Striped Century Plant cold hardy?
It is rated to about 15 to 20°F. On colder nights, cover it with frost cloth that reaches the ground and remove it in the morning.
What is the difference between yellow striped, white striped and variegated century plant?
All three are forms of Agave americana. Yellow striped has a yellow center stripe, and white striped a creamy white one. Variegated century plant has yellow edges and grows much bigger.
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.