Fox tail agave

Sun

Full sun to partial shade; afternoon shade is useful in very hot inland gardens. Acclimatise plants gradually to stronger sun.

Water

Drought-tolerant once established, but grows better with occasional deep watering during warm weather. Let the soil dry between waterings and keep almost dry in cool winter conditions.

Soil

Free-draining sandy or gravelly soil. In containers, use cactus compost with added grit or pumice and a pot with drainage holes.

Height

3-5 ft (0.9-1.5 m); flowering stems can reach 8-10 ft (2.4-3 m)

Spread

4-6 ft (1.2-1.8 m); established offsetting clumps can grow wider

Flowers

Mature rosettes, often more than 10 years old, produce greenish-yellow flowers on a long, arching spike, usually in winter or spring in warm climates. Timing varies with climate.

Foliage

Evergreen. Broad, fleshy, pale green to blue-green leaves form open rosettes on short, eventually visible stems. Leaf edges are smooth and the tips lack hard spines.

Growth

Slow to moderate; faster with warmth and occasional summer watering.

Care needed

Low

• Pollinators
• Deer resistant
• Drought tolerant
• Heat tolerant
• Low allergen

Northern hemisphere months. In Australia, shift them by six.

Difficulty

Moderate

Toughness

Fairly tough

Pick your zone, country, light and whether you have pets.

1. Planting day

   0.8 ft (0.25 m)

2. After 1 year

   1.3 ft (0.41 m)

3. After 2 years

   1.9 ft (0.57 m)

4. After 3 years

   2.4 ft (0.73 m)

5. After 5 years

   3 ft (1 m)

About 6 years to full size.

From a typical nursery size, at an average rate for this kind of plant. A rule of thumb, not a forecast.

Cats and dogs

Mildly toxic: may upset a stomach

Growth rate

Moderate

• Water deeply in warm weather, then allow the root zone to dry before watering again.
• Keep containers out of standing water and shelter plants from prolonged winter rain.
• Move potted plants into a bright, frost-free place before frost is forecast.
• Feed container plants lightly once in spring with a diluted cactus fertiliser.
• Use a thin gravel mulch rather than moisture-holding mulch against the stem.

Pruning. Remove fully dead lower leaves close to the stem with clean secateurs, wearing gloves to avoid the sap. After flowering, remove the dead rosette and spent flower stem without damaging surrounding offsets.

Spring

Check drainage, remove dead leaves and give container plants a light feed as growth resumes.

Late spring

Move overwintered containers outdoors after frost risk has passed, gradually increasing their exposure to sun.

Summer

Water deeply when the soil has dried; check pots more often during hot weather.

Summer

Detach well-developed offsets if you want new plants, allowing cut surfaces to dry before potting.

Autumn

Reduce watering as temperatures fall and move containers under frost-free cover before cold nights.

Winter

Keep sheltered plants bright and almost dry; protect outdoor plants from persistent cold rain.

• Use a single rosette in a broad container as a focal point beside a sunny entrance or terrace.
• Plant in groups with aloes and low succulents for contrasting leaf shapes in frost-free gravel gardens.
• Set against plain walls or dark paving to emphasise the pale foliage and rounded outline.
• Combine with fine-textured grasses in sheltered courtyard gardens for a contrast of bold and airy foliage.

Garden styles it suits: Architectural minimal, Modern Mediterranean, Desert modern, Modern courtyard, Dry gravel garden and Desert / xeriscape.

Plant it with: Blue chalksticks, Mexican snowball, Coral aloe, Kangaroo paw and Lomandra.

Wildlife: The flowers provide nectar and pollen for insects and, where present, nectar-feeding birds. Plants grown in containers or cool climates may never flower.

• Root or stem rot in wet soil: improve drainage, reduce watering and remove badly rotted plants or stems.
• Frost damage: move pots under frost-free cover; leave damaged leaves until cold weather has passed before trimming.
• Mealybugs: inspect leaf bases and offsets, remove small colonies by hand and use a labelled insecticidal soap where appropriate.
• Sun scorch after a sudden move outdoors: introduce stronger light gradually and provide afternoon shade in intense heat.

Do not eat any part. Sap from cut leaves or stems can irritate human skin and eyes, and chewing the plant may cause mouth irritation, vomiting or diarrhoea in people, cats and dogs. Horse-specific toxicity information is limited, so keep it away from grazing animals. Wear gloves when cutting and seek medical or veterinary advice after ingestion or significant exposure.

• Smooth agave (Agave desmettiana)

  Usually has narrower, more upright or recurving leaves with a distinct hard terminal spine; fox tail agave has broader, softer leaves without that spine.

• Squid agave (Agave bracteosa)

  Also lacks sharp terminal spines, but has much narrower, curling, strap-like leaves and a smaller, more tangled rosette.

The name attenuata means tapering, while fox tail refers to the long, curved flower spike.

Propagation. Detach offsets in spring or summer, preferably with some roots attached. Let cut surfaces dry for several days, then pot into a gritty, free-draining mix and water sparingly until established. Seed is possible but rarely available from home-grown plants.

Accepted botanical name

Agave attenuata

In the US and Canada

Introduced in Pacific Basin.

Native range

Mexico Central and Mexico Southwest.

Sources: GBIF (CC BY 4.0), USDA PLANTS and Trefle (CC BY 4.0). The care and design notes are LandscapeGPT's own.