Scientific Name
Agave xylonacantha Salm-Dyck
Common Name(s)
Century Plant, Saw Leaf Agave, Shark Tooth Agave
Synonym(s)
Agave amurensis, Agave carchariodonta, Agave heteracantha var. splendens, Agave hybrida, Agave kochii, Agave perbella, Agave splendens, Agave univittata var. carchariodonta, Agave vanderdonckii, Agave xylacantha
Scientific Classification
Family: Asparagaceae
Subfamily: Agavoideae
Genus: Agave
Etymology
The specific epithet "xylonacantha (zy-low-nuh-KAN-thu)" means "woody spines" and refers to the wood-colored spines.
Origin
Agave xylonacantha is native to Mexico (Hidalgo, Tamaulipas, Guanajuato, and Queretaro).
Description
Agave xylonacantha is a succulent plant that forms a usually solitary rosette of triangular leaves with light grey, irregularly shaped spines along the margins and a long terminal spine. The rosette can reach up to 1 foot (30 cm) in height and 6 feet (1.8 m) in diameter, while the leaves can grow up to 3 feet (90 cm) long and 4 inches (10 cm) wide. The leaves vary in color from yellow-green, silver-green, and blue-green to olive-green and have a lighter center stripe.
The flowers are greenish to pale yellow and appear on an erect, unbranched spike in spring. The flower spike can grow up to 11 feet (3.3 m) tall.
How to Grow and Care for Agave xylonacantha
Light: These plants require full sun to part shade. If you are growing Agaves indoors, choose a bright, sunny window with as much sun as possible. Agave plants love going outside from spring to fall.
Soil: Agaves will tolerate most soils as long as they have good drainage but prefer sandy or rocky soil.
Hardiness: Agave xylonacantha can withstand temperatures as low as 25 to 50 °F (-3.9 to 10 °C), USDA hardiness zones 9b to 11b.
Watering: Mature plants are very drought tolerant. From spring to fall, water thoroughly your Agave when the soil mix becomes dry. In winter, water sparingly about once a month. Plants in containers require more frequent watering than those in the ground.
Fertilizing: Give your Agaves a small amount of fertilizer in the spring during the first two years.
Repotting: When the pot becomes full of roots, it has become pot-bound. If you notice your Agave becoming pot-bound, repot it with new soil in a pot slightly larger than the old one.
Propagation: Since it can take years to produce seeds, Agaves are usually propagated by offsets.
Learn more at How to Grow and Care for Agave.
Toxicity of Agave xylonacantha
Agave xylonacantha is not toxic to humans but may be mildly poisonous to children and pets.
Links
- Back to genus Agave
- Succupedia: Browse succulents by Scientific Name, Common Name, Genus, Family, USDA Hardiness Zone, Origin, or cacti by Genus
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