PlantFiles: Foxtail Agave, Dragon-Tree Agave, Spineless Agave
Agave attenuata

Grows very well in San Diego (zone 10) but does not take direct sun during the hottest weather. I have lots of these in my garden, generally they are growing in the shade of trees, getting direct sun only part of the day. In my opinion, these agave's look much nicer when allowed to grow in clumps. I must have 50 plants in a cluster growing under a palm tree. Beautiful background to annual or perennial color!

I have not grown this plant; however, I have observed it growing in Maui, Hawaii. It grows as a native plant in the mountains of central Mexico. Reportedly, it is rare in its native habitat. It will grow in full sun and poor soils; however, optimum growth is acquired when it has morning sun and afternoon shade or dappled shade with good soil and regular water.

Grown a lot of these in Auckland NZ. They can really grow fast like a weed. Have to keep up by taking off some of the pups or it would really get carried away. Also find that if planted too close to edges, the lawn mower will easily break off parts, but they do grow quickly.

Hardier and faster growing than Sunset magazine would lead you to believe.It's a leaner that needs a bit of room. I have seen specimen clumps around the Bay Area. How many other agaves can do well alongside ferns?

Had wondered what this was. Came with the house 16 yrs ago. Thought it was century plant. Mother plant is long gone, but she left many babies that have gone on to leave keiki of their own. Mine's growing among lava rocks which helps hide the ranginess of trunk . Flowers right before plant dies. Flower stalks have grown at least 8'-10' long with small white flowers all around it, bees love it. Baby plants grow all along trunk after plant blooms.

This is one of the few 'soft and user friendly' agaves. It is grown extensively all over California and is very popular because of its soft, powdery texture, lack of vicious spines and showy blossoms. Some plants become enormous before blooming developing trunks up to 10' long (usually the plant collapses before this and the trunk crawls along the ground), especially if given plenty of water. This is an especially tough Agave to overwater, sometimes performing well in standing water and muddy gardens in So Cal. It is, however, one of the least cold hardy of the Agaves and very cold nights will often damage the foliage (under 26F). This plant also is available in a showy variegated form, as well as a form called A attenuata 'Nova' in which the flowers grow straight up instead of arching- see uploaded photos from Pasadena)

Propogation from the profuse suckers they produce along the stem is extremely easy, making this one of the best/easiest agaves to fill an entire yard for cheap. Tends to be overpriced in most nurseries- fast growing plant- buy small- it will be big in no time... and you can have more suckers than you would ever want soon, too.

Just went through an unusual freeze here in the Los Angeles area, and many of these plants completely melted to mush. Was surprised to see them being much less hardy than even most aloe species, many of which were only 'partly' mushed by the freeze of 27F. I still think this is a zone 9b plant, but it obviously cannot tolerate the very bottom of this zone well

A monumental plant that is however monocarpic! It only blooms after 10-12 Years.