Grow Agave attenuata (foxtail agave)

Don't miss my newer video GROW FOXTAIL AGAVE (A. attenuata). You'll learn care & cultivation, propagation, flowering, pests, variegates, cultivars & more! Discover all you need to grow these lovely succulents successfully: • Grow Foxtail Agave (A....
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Award-winning garden photojournalist and bestselling author Debra Lee Baldwin shares know-how about “plants that drink responsibly” in print, photos, videos and her “Celebrating the Joy of Succulents” newsletter. Debra is based in Southern California, home to more succulent specialty nurseries and growers than anywhere else in the world.
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[@johnguava]

Came for the info, stayed for the music

[@botanicaltreasures2408]

Gorgeous!

[@Nhoj31neirbo47]

It’s such a terrific, low maintenance and xeric plant. You can get away with full sun but then you run the risk of minor leaf yellowing or some scorching on extremely hot days. The biggest ‘cuttings’ I’ve ever planted were 30” heads of Agave a. with 4 or 5” thick stems. The plain species is attractive enough but some of those hybrids shown herein are really gorgeous. ~ Thanks for sharing. Happy New Year!

[@QueenofSucculents]

Yes, it can handle full sun in mild coastal areas.

[@ivanimarino3322]

👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽

[@maka1685]

I picked a heap of these out of the neighbours skip bin, saving their lives.

[@QueenofSucculents]

Cool! Good for you!

[@meganjh1000]

My plant isnt happy. Can you help? The leaves are turning yellow then brown and dying off. They are in pots on my covered porch. Morning sun. I water once a week.

[@QueenofSucculents]

Sounds like you're doing everything right. Do you hose or wash off the leaves every so often? If not, it's likely some sort of infestation like mealy bug.Take a look at my site's Pests, Diseases and Problems page. debraleebaldwin.com/uh-oh-succulent-sick/

[@daleandrews3552]

Hi Debra, I'm a subscriber from Lake Charles, LA where we are subtropical with about 3 or so nights per year of light frost (28-32 degrees) with virtually no snow or ice. My outdoor potted patio plants just love the summertime heat and humidity. I just ordered a 10 gal. agave attenuata from an Etsy site called ThankYouMotherNature. This was last week so it should come in very soon. It's already going to be big, but I want to make it HUGE, and a showstopper for my patio. I'm considering using - along with succulent fertilization - some plant GROWTH HORMONES. Any ideas, or should I not do this? I love your channel, BTW. 🪴🌵

[@QueenofSucculents]

Hi Dale, Probably can’t hurt. I use granular time-release fertilizer for potted plants. Fish emulsion is good too, but messy and smelly. Do LMK how it goes!

[@ramoncito7]

I understand there’s a drying out process when you cut these and plant them directly in the ground. How long before I should start watering them? And how often? I was given two enormous (2-3 foot wide head) cuttings that had large thick trunks but no roots. I let them dry for two or three days, then put them in the ground and watered them. They seem to have shriveled and looked terrible the day after I watered them. So I gave it a full week in the heat without water. They looked better though the lowest leaves died. I trimmed them, then watered the roots. After the watering (later that day) the end of some leaves turned purple (!) and they look terrible the next day. I feel like I shouldn’t water them for a while and let them fight it out in the soil, but I don’t know how long that should be. I have other agave attenuata around my yard but I’ve never tried to propagate from cuttings (only store bought rooted plants. And only planted when it wasn’t so hot. ) I live in socal, in a hot area and the plants get west sun on a hill and heat all day (they were partially shaded part of the day previously, which may contribute to their bad health.) the ground is clay and sand, and I added some garden soil to them when I planted because I thought it would help (but it might have just made it worse since it wasn’t specifically succulent or cactus soil I added.) Any advice would be so appreciated. And thank you for sharing so much of your wisdom on this. I love the videos.

[@QueenofSucculents]

Hi Ramon, you'll find lots of information about agaves, planting succulents, etc. on my website, www.debraleebaldwin.com.

[@MJCenac76]

How do you feel about growing them indoors next to a huge window? I am in Wyoming and have heated floors

[@QueenofSucculents]

I don't see why not, especially if you've had good luck growing other plants there, and providing the window has UV protection (otherwise it could magnify the rays and burn the leaves).

[@MJCenac76]

@@QueenofSucculents Thanks! I can definitely keep them out of direct sun. Thanks for the reply!

[@robinschuddeboom6010]

Hello. I’m not sure if you still reply to the comments but I wanted to ask you for some advice. I took my agave plant with roots from the ground and planted it with the same roots somewhere else in my garden. Would it have been better if I just cut the trunk and planted it like that?

[@QueenofSucculents]

It should be fine. If you're referring to Agave attenuata, the subject of this video, it's unusual among agaves in that it's trunk-forming. Eventually the trunk gets too tall and looks awkward. Consequently, it tends to look better replanted it as a cutting. Cut the trunk six inches below the base of the rosette and position it upright in its new location, with the nub of trunk buried and the plant sitting at soil level.

[@jadestar1580]

So, like most succulents you can cut them at the stem and replant them without callousing the cut end? Thank you for the video.

[@QueenofSucculents]

They have non-juicy, fibrous trunks so yes, no problem to simply cut and replant. The juicier the succulent, the more you need to let the cut end callous (heal for a day or two) to prevent bacterial incursion.

[@IDKOKIDK]

I found 2 on the footpath. they had been chopped off at trunk. They have damaged leaves from being handled badly, split and some yellow. Should I rip off the damaged leaves or better to leave them on? Very nice video

[@QueenofSucculents]

Peel off the damaged leaves at the base, where they meet the trunk, or cut them to an upside-down V.

[@IDKOKIDK]

@@QueenofSucculents thankyou! I shall

[@capes5441]

Hi! I received a small unidentified plant 2 years ago, and I'm now 99% sure it's an agave attenuata. It was maybe 6 inches tall when I got it, and it is now 18 inches tall. Roots began appearing along the center stalk about a month ago. The bottom leaves have begun to turn yellow and die off. I am not overwatering, and it is not in full sun. Is this just the plant beginning to form a "trunk?" It has never had a trunk before-- just leaves building on leaves to form a center stalk, which I'm assuming is because it was young. I just want to make sure my plant is still healthy, so I would really appreciate your help.

[@QueenofSucculents]

Sounds like you're doing everything right!

[@chantal1298]

I believe the yellowing on the bottom leaves is a natural process and the plant is just growing taller, or growing a trunk, as you described it.

[@navdeepsingh-pk5qk]

Aunty foxtail agave does not need direct sun?

[@QueenofSucculents]

No, nephew, best to give it dappled shade.

[@navdeepsingh-pk5qk]

@@QueenofSucculents ok aunty 😘😘,aunt i have a 24 inch pot on terrace ,this corner of terrace can be seen from street,which beautiful plant should I grow in it so that it can seen by PPL?

[@QueenofSucculents]

@@navdeepsingh-pk5qk For great ideas for your terrace, see my book Succulent Container Gardens and this page of my website: debraleebaldwin.com/containers/showcase-succulents-in-large-pots/

[@navdeepsingh-pk5qk]

@@QueenofSucculents ok aunty 😘😘

[@micgrech]

My agaves are getting too big. Can I just cut them in half and will they continue to grow and flourish?

[@QueenofSucculents]

No, cutting them in half wouldn't do anything but make them look like they'd been cut in half.

[@randypayawal9642]

I’m going to transplant an over grown attenuata from my parents’ house and wondering if I have to wait for the trunk to calus before planting. Did the attenuata survive the cutting and planting shown in your video?

[@QueenofSucculents]

Yes it's fine.

[@QueenofSucculents]

In my newer video GROW FOXTAIL AGAVE (A. attenuata) you'll learn care & cultivation, propagation, flowering, pests, variegates, cultivars & more! See all you need to grow these lovely succulents successfully: kzbin.info/www/bejne/bIuvn4iafpaLfbssi=lvlUnxVYgjx-Yk43

[@bernardocartujano4957]

how long can i expose my agave potatorum to the sun and what soil can you recommend for it

[@QueenofSucculents]

It depends on where you live of course, but in Southern CA, half- to full-day sun.

[@Dzloof1]

Hi , is Agave poisonous to chickens?

[@QueenofSucculents]

It's unlikely a chicken would try to eat an agave, any more than a dog or cat would. A greater danger are an agave's spines and teeth. Do keep animals away from succulents in the genus Euphorbia, which have toxic sap. Learn more: kzbin.info/www/bejne/ZqrbnIWclsSknJY

[@Dzloof1]

@@QueenofSucculents thank you for you swift reply, I have 4 rode island red female chickens and they love the flesh of the agave attenuata they were trying to eat it heavily and i moved them away , we have lots of agave in the garden I now have a huge dilemma on what to do

[@QueenofSucculents]

@@Dzloof1 Oh! Agave attenuata is fine. It has soft leaves. Sounds like your chickens are more of a threat to the plants than the other way 'round!

[@Dzloof1]

@@QueenofSucculents thank you thank you!!!

[@Angela152half]

What agave is best for zone 7?

[@QueenofSucculents]

You're pretty limited as to agaves that will grow well for you in the open garden. My book, Designing with Succulents, gives cold hardiness for two dozen readily available, beautiful agaves. Notably cold-hardy are A. 'Baccarat' (to 0 degrees F), Agave parryi (to -20 degrees F) and Agave utahensis (to -10 degrees F).

[@jjeshop]

Is this edible at all?

[@QueenofSucculents]

No. It's not poisonous, but it's not edible either.