Accent
Twin-Flowered Agave
Agave geminiflora · Asparagaceae (Agavoideae; formerly Agavaceae)
Also called: Twin-Flower Agave, Twin Flowered Agave
Twin-Flowered Agave (Agave geminiflora) is a low-water accent well suited to Tucson and the low desert. It thrives in full sun to part shade, with a slow to moderate growth rate.
Twin-Flowered Agave at a glance
- Water use
- Low (established)
- Sun
- Full sun to part shade; tolerates filtered/afternoon shade well and often looks best with some protection from intense low-desert sun.
- Mature size
- 2-3 ft H x 2-3 ft W (dense symmetrical rosette); flower stalk to 8-12 ft
- Growth rate
- Slow to moderate
- Bloom
- Yellow to reddish/purple-tinged (flowers borne in pairs - 'twin' flowers - hence the name), Late spring to summer; monocarpic - flowers once then dies. It rarely or never offsets, so propagation is mainly from seed.
- Cold hardiness
- Hardy to about 25 F; USDA zones 9-11. Somewhat cold-tender for Tucson - protect from hard freezes or site in a warm microclimate.
- Soil
- Well-drained soil; tolerant of native rocky and sandy soils. Needs good drainage.
- Native range
- Nayarit, Mexico. Not native to Arizona.
- Best used as
- Accent / focal point, Container plant, Poolside (no marginal teeth; soft-tipped leaves), Mass or symmetrical formal plantings, Small-space gardens
- Wildlife
- Flowers attract bees, hummingbirds, and other pollinators.
- Toxicity
- Sap can cause skin and eye irritation (saponins/oxalates). Spines are slender and relatively soft, so it is among the safer agaves around people and pets, though ingestion of sap is still irritating.
How to grow Twin-Flowered Agave in Tucson & the low desert
Watering
Drought tolerant once established; water every 2-3 weeks in summer for best appearance, less in spring/fall, and withhold in winter. Avoid soggy soil.
Fertilizer & nutrients
Generally unnecessary. A single light spring feeding with dilute balanced fertilizer can support growth of young plants in containers; avoid heavy nitrogen.
Pruning & care
Little pruning needed; remove only dead/damaged outer leaves and the spent flower stalk. Because it does not pup, do not expect replacement offsets after bloom. The many thin leaves end in soft, harmless spines.
Notes
Forms a striking, dense, perfectly symmetrical pincushion-like sphere of hundreds of narrow, dark-green leaves, often with curling white filaments (threads) along the margins. Toothless leaves with flexible tips make it one of the safest agaves for high-traffic areas. A choice container and specimen plant. Does not sucker, so a flowered plant is not replaced by pups.
Sources: AMWUA 'Landscape Plants for the Arizona Desert'; University of Arizona Cooperative Extension; Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum; Tohono Chul / Tucson Botanical Gardens plant references