Agave macroacantha
Light: Full sun to light shade; afternoon shade helps prevent scorching in Phoenix’s intense summer heat.
Water: Low water once established; water deeply but infrequently, allowing soil to dry completely between waterings. Reduce watering substantially in winter.
Soil: Very well-drained, sandy or gravelly soil. Use raised beds or mounds where drainage is poor.
Mature size: Individual rosettes reach approximately 1–2 feet tall and 2–3 feet wide; offsetting colonies spread wider.
Bloom: Each rosette blooms once after many years, then dies; offsets usually survive and continue growing.
Evergreen / deciduous: Evergreen.
Growth rate: Slow.