Agave bracteosa

RHS Plant Profile

spider agave

RHS / Lullingstone Castle.

Other common names

squid agave

Cactus Succulent

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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

Position

Full sun

Soil Types

Loam, Sand

Max Height

0.1-0.5 metres

Max Spread

0.5-1 metres

Size

Time to Maturity: 10–20 years
Max Spread: 0.5-1 metres
Max Height: 0.1-0.5 metres

Growing Conditions

Loam Sand

Moisture: Well–drained
pH: Acid or Alkaline or Neutral

Position

Full sun

Aspect: South–facing or West–facing
Exposure: Sheltered
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): H4
Drought Resistance: Yes

Colour & Scent

Season	Stem	Flower	Foliage	Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Botanical Details

Family: Asparagaceae
Native to GB/Ireland: 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