Smooth agave is a unique urn-shaped agave that looks like it belongs in the tropics. This Mexican native is a popular landscape plant, but is no longer found in the wild. Here’s everything you need to know about growing it in your garden.
Smooth agave (Agave desmetiana) is a medium size agave with smooth, rubbery, recurved leaves. This uniquely urn-shaped plant has a distinctly tropical look. It’s more garden-friendly than most agaves, having no teeth or spikes.
It is (was) a native of eastern Mexico, and while it is extensively used as a landscape plant, unfortunately, it is no longer found in the wild.
Smooth agave is a low-maintenance plant. It grows in full or part sun and needs minimal irrigation.
Why I Like This Plant
- Gives your garden a tropical feel
- Thrives in extreme heat
- Low maintenance and unarmed
Things to Watch Out For
It’s not for every yard, since it is only cold hardy down to around 30℉. While it will survive temperatures down to the mid-twenties, it will experience obvious cold damage if not covered.
Here’s a picture of a smooth agave in my neighborhood that’s suffered cold damage. It will look better in a few months as new growth fills in and the cold-damaged leaves are pruned away.
It grows fast and has a short life expectancy — only around 8 years. However, each plant puts out a copious number of pups to take its place.
Smooth agave is not particularly spiky, but each leaf does have a sharp tip that can poke your skin. Agaves contain compounds that can cause a rash called agave dermatitis in some people.
Optimal Growing Conditions
If you’re thinking of adding a smooth agave to your garden, you need to find a suitable place that will keep your plant healthy and looking good… while minimizing maintenance for you.
Here are the key factors to keep in mind.
Temperature
Smooth agave should be grown in USDA Hardiness Zones 9 – 10. It will survive temperatures down to the mid-twenties but will exhibit obvious cold damage once the temperature dips below 30℉.
If you want it to look its best all year long, you can cover it during cold spells, or plant it in a pot that you can move to a protected area.
Sun Exposure
Smooth agave tolerates full sun but will look its best in either dappled shade or in a spot where it’s sheltered from afternoon sun.
Size and Growth Rate
Smooth agave ultimately reaches a size of 4 feet tall by 3 feet wide. It’s a fast grower that recovers quickly from cold-damage.
After about 8 years it will send up a striking 10-foot flower stalk covered with yellow flowers that signals the end of its life. Like all agaves, it only flowers once and then dies.
Soil
Smooth agave will grow in any type of desert soil, provided it’s well-draining. It can suffer from root rot if the soil is chronically too wet.
If you grow one in a pot, make sure it has excellent drainage and use specifically formulated cactus soil
Other Location Considerations
Since this is a “soft” agave, you can plant it along sidewalks, near pools, on patios, or anywhere else it might come in contact with people and pets.
Smooth Agave:
The Essentials
| Common Name | Smooth agave |
| Scientific Name | Agave desmetiana |
| Origin | Eastern Mexico |
| USDA Zones | Zones 9 – 11 |
| Cold Hardiness | To 30℉ |
| Mature Size | 4’ high x 3’ wide |
| Growth Rate | Moderate to fast |
| Sun Tolerance | Full, part sun |
| Water Needs | Low |
| Pests & Diseases | Root rot if overwatered |
| Cautions | Contact dermatitis |
| Wildlife | Deer resistant |
How to Plant
Dig a hole as deep as and twice as wide as the nursery container. Carefully remove the plant from the container, place it in the hole, and fill with the same native soil you just removed. Press the soil to remove any air pockets.
Never plant deeper than the depth of the root ball which can cause rot. Actually, it’s best to plant an inch or two above soil level to give the plant room to settle and leave room for mulch.
It’s generally recommended that you not add amendments to the soil. However, good drainage is critical so if your soil drains slowly, amend with coarse sand or small gravel until you have a loose, well-drained mix.
When to Plant
The best time to plant agaves is in spring between April and May when the warm temperatures of spring encourage root development.
How to Care for Smooth Agave
Whether you’ve recently planted a smooth agave or have an existing plant in your yard, here’s how to take care of it to keep it healthy and looking its best.
How to Water
You’re probably used to giving a plant a good soaking immediately after transplanting, but that isn’t the best practice with agaves. Counterintuitively, it’s best to not water agaves for one to two weeks after planting. Then use the following schedule as a guide.
| Spring & Fall | Every 3-5 weeks |
| Summer | Every 2-4 weeks |
| Winter | Only if no winter rains |
No supplemental water is necessary during the winter, provided there have been winter rains. Avoid watering if freezing temperatures are in the forecast.
If you’re growing your agave in a container, use this watering schedule as a guide.
| Spring & Fall | Every 7-10 days |
| Summer | Every 5-7 days |
| Winter | Every 10-14 days |
Frequent watering will make an agave grow larger, faster. This might sound like a good thing, but it causes the plant to reach the end of its life sooner.
Should You Fertilize?
There is no need to fertilize smooth agave, they get all they need from the surrounding desert soil. But if you grow one in a pot, fertilize lightly once a month spring through summer.
How to Prune
Smooth agave should not be pruned except to remove dead lower leaves. Wait until the last frost date in your area to remove cold damage.
Pests
Agave snout weevil is an insect that can attack any agave, but fortunately, smooth agave is not among those that are most susceptible.
Don’t Confuse Smooth Agave With…
Smooth agave looks a lot like octopus agave (Agave vilmoriniana), but octopus agave is a much bigger plant that can reach a size of 4 feet high by 6 feet wide. And unlike smooth agave, it never produces offsets.
Smooth Agave Cultivars
There is a popular variety of smooth agave called variegated smooth agave (Agave desmetiana ‘Variegata’).
It is basically the same in form and care requirements as the species, except its leaves are bright green with glowing yellow bands along the margins. It’s easy to see why this is popular — it’s beautiful!
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Author Bio
Deane Alban is the creator of Southwest Gardener. She is a science writer with a bachelor’s degree in botany from the University of South Florida. Gardening is her lifelong passion. She’s been gardening in Tucson for over 15 years.
