Accent · Sonoran native
Parry's Agave
Agave parryi · Asparagaceae (Agavaceae)
Also called: Mescal Agave, Parry's Century Plant, Artichoke Agave
Parry's Agave (Agave parryi) is a very low-water accent native to the Sonoran Desert region well suited to Tucson and the low desert. It's a slow-growing accent.
Parry's Agave at a glance
- Water use
- Very Low (established)
- Sun
- Full sun to light/filtered shade; in the lowest, hottest Tucson sites afternoon shade keeps it looking its best since it is naturally a higher-elevation species.
- Mature size
- 1.5-2.5 ft H x 2-3 ft W; tight, symmetrical artichoke-like rosette of broad gray-blue leaves with dark terminal spines and red-brown marginal teeth.
- Growth rate
- Slow
- Bloom
- Yellow flowers, often opening from red or pink buds, on a tall candelabra stalk, Once, after roughly 10-25 years (monocarpic), in summer; rosette dies after flowering but leaves offsets/pups.
- Cold hardiness
- Very cold hardy: tolerates about -20 F to 0 F depending on clone; USDA zones 5-10. One of the hardiest agaves and completely hardy in Tucson.
- Soil
- Sharply drained rocky, gravelly, or sandy soil; will rot in heavy, wet, or poorly drained ground. Excellent drainage is essential.
- Native range
- Native to the mountains and high desert grasslands of Arizona, New Mexico, west Texas, and northern Mexico (typically 4,000-8,000 ft elevation).
- Best used as
- Compact accent/specimen, Rock gardens and gravel xeriscapes, Container plantings, Mass groupings in desert and transition gardens
- Wildlife
- Flowers provide nectar for bats, hummingbirds, and bees; source of the traditional 'mescal' (the roasted heart was a Native food and the sap can be fermented). Offsets form clumps that shelter small wildlife.
- Toxicity
- Sap is irritating to skin and eyes and contains saponins toxic if ingested by pets/people; sharp terminal spine and marginal teeth cause injury. Site away from high-traffic areas.
How to grow Parry's Agave in Tucson & the low desert
Watering
Very drought tolerant once established. In Tucson water deeply only about once a month in the hottest months; little to no water needed otherwise and none in winter. Avoid frequent shallow watering.
Fertilizer & nutrients
Not needed; performs best in lean native soil. At most a single light spring feeding of a balanced or low-nitrogen fertilizer; over-fertilizing causes loose growth and shortens lifespan.
Pruning & care
Essentially none. Remove dead outer leaves and the spent bloom stalk; separate pups to propagate or limit colony size. Wear gloves and protect eyes from the stout terminal spine.
Notes
A neat, cold-hardy, well-behaved agave with a striking symmetrical form, far more refined and less aggressive than Agave americana. The variety A. parryi var. truncata ('Artichoke Agave') is especially popular. Excellent choice for Tucson where a tidy blue accent is wanted; watch for agave snout weevil and provide drainage to prevent rot.
Sources: AMWUA 'Landscape Plants for the Arizona Desert'; University of Arizona Cooperative Extension; Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum; Mountain States Wholesale Nursery references