Plant types

Plant styles

Planting conditions

Seasonal interest

Nurseries & Gardens

Photo by Stan Shebs

This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 license.

Show all photos

Agave palmeri [IB57]

Plant type

cactus / succulent

size

H: 3'-5'
W: 3'-5'

planting zones

6b-11

More Options

Agave palmeri [IB57] plant details

Agave palmeri [IB57] is an evergreen cactus / succulent with blue foliage. Features glaucous texture. Grows well with sun and occasional water. Drought tolerant once established. Prefers to be dry in winter. Does well in average, gritty, lean, rocky and well-drained soil. A good option if you're seeking something heat tolerant and verticillium wilt resistant.

CHARACTERISTICS OF Agave palmeri [IB57]

Plant type: cactus / succulent
Plant family: agavaceae, asparagaceae
Foliage: evergreen blue
Mature size: 3 FT - 5 FT - wide, 3 FT - 5 FT - tall
Uses: architectural, container plant, desert garden, rock garden, rosette-forming, spiky, xeric

GROWING CONDITIONS for Agave palmeri [IB57]

USDA Zones: 6b - 11
Sun exposure: sun
Watering frequency: occasional
Resistant to: deer and rabbit, heat and verticillium wilt
Soil needs: average, gritty, lean, rocky and well-drained

Nursery contributed plant descriptions

This toothy green Agave is widely distributed throughout moister areas of southern Arizona, and adjacent New and Old Mexicos. It is usually considered to be the largest Agave native to the United States, with rosettes sometimes reaching 8' across. (A. chrysantha in the Pinal Mountains may be just as large, though!) Like A. chrysantha, to which it is closely related, this species is very easy to grow and prefers more moisture than many Agaves. In fact, it tends to grow larger in the wild in cooler areas with more rainfall. This collection from the west side of the Chiricahua Mountains, Arizona at 5,450' has green rosettes to about 5' wide and represents the species pretty well. Hardy to about -5 °F.