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Cactus Succulent

Agave bracteosa

spider agave

A slow-growing, evergreen perennial succulent with a single rosette of narrow, fleshy mid-green leaves with pointed ends. A bottle-brush like spike of densly clustered creamy-white flowers appear on mature plants. A smaller variety and very hardy, making it a great architectural or tropical-looking addition to the garden

Other common names

squid agave

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Ultimate height

0.1–0.5 metres

Time to ultimate height

10–20 years

Ultimate spread

0.5–1 metres

Loam

Sand

Moisture

Well–drained

pH

Acid, Alkaline, Neutral

	Stem	Flower	Foliage	Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Full sun

Aspect

South–facing or West–facing

Exposure

Sheltered

Drought resistance

Yes

Hardiness
Hardiness ratings
All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets
H1a: under glass all year (>15C)
H1b: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
H1c: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20)

Botanical details

Family: Asparagaceae
Native to the UK: No
Foliage: Evergreen
Habit: Clump forming
Potentially harmful: Skin irritant. Wear gloves and other protective equipment when handling. Pets (dogs, cats): harmful if eaten. For further information and contact numbers regarding pets, see the HTA guide to potentially harmful plants
Genus: Agave can be perennial or monocarpic succulents, forming rosettes of usually rigid, fleshy, spiny-edged leaves, with funnel-shaped flowers in racemes or panicles often much taller than the rosettes
Name status: Correct
Plant range: Mexico (Coahuila, Nuevo León)

How to grow

Cultivation

Grow under glass in cactus compost in full light. Water freely in summer, giving a low-nitrogen feed three or four times. Water less in autumn and keep dry in winter. A hardier variety than many agaves, and should survive temperatures to as low as 8ºF (-13ºC) outdoors if planted in a warm position in very well-drained, slightly acid soil in full sun. See hardy cacti and succulent cultivation for further advice

Propagation

Propagate by seed. Dies after flowering and does not produce offsets

Suggested planting locations and garden types

Architectural
City and courtyard gardens
Coastal
Cottage and informal garden
Mediterranean climate plants
Patio and container plants
Rock garden
Gravel garden
Conservatory and greenhouse
Flower borders and beds

Pruning

No pruning required

Pests

May be susceptible to scale insects

Diseases

Generally disease-free

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