Agave americana
Light: Full sun to light shade; some afternoon shade can reduce leaf scorch in Phoenix’s hottest exposures.
Water: Very low water once established. During prolonged summer drought, water deeply approximately every 3–4 weeks, allowing soil to dry thoroughly between waterings. Established plants usually need little or no supplemental winter water.
Soil: Very well-drained sandy, gravelly, or rocky soil; tolerates alkaline soil. Plant on a mound if drainage is poor.
Mature size: Typically 5–6 feet tall and 8–10 feet wide per rosette; offset colonies spread wider. Flower stalks can reach 20–30 feet.
Bloom: Blooms once at maturity, typically after 10–30 years or longer, usually in late spring or summer. The flowering rosette dies afterward, but offsets survive.
Evergreen / deciduous: Evergreen.
Growth rate: Slow to moderate; faster with supplemental summer water and good drainage.