Blue Agave Havardiana

The Blue Agave Havardiana, also known as the Harvard Agave, is an exotic-looking perennial succulent that’s evergreen and tolerates winter lows up to -20℉, as well as drought, wind, and salt and is super easy to maintain. 

Why Choose a Blue Agave?

Native to the slopes of west Texas into Mexico, the Blue Agave is an evergreen perennial succulent that will thrive in the North Georgia winters. If you’re looking for something to add to a tropical landscape and pump up its flavor then you won’t be disappointed with the addition of this exotic-looking Blue Agave.

Blue Agave Havardiana grows slowly maturing to a height of 2 to 3 ft and width of around 3 to 4 feet. The rosette is made of gray-blue leaves that are broad and fleshy with toothed margins. The succulent leaves form from a center rosette and are sometimes curved, each leaf growing to about 2 feet long when mature and has brown teeth like edges and a very pointy tip. Mature plants, around 10 years old, bloom only once with foliage that tapers to a sharp pointy spine and panicles of yellow flowers that form at the top of the spike and the flower stalk that persists for months and attracts hummingbirds.

Once Blue Agave blooms the mother plant dies but offsets form around its base and continue the cycle of growing and blooming.

If you’re looking to spruce up a tropical landscape with something that’s cold-hardy with an exotic appeal, then look no further than the Blue Agave Havardiana. It stands up to North Georgia winters tolerating lows to -20℉ without skipping a beat. It’s hardy growing throughout USDA zones 5 through 10.

Is it Cold-Hardy in My Area?

If you’re looking to spruce up a tropical landscape with something that’s cold-hardy with an exotic appeal, then look no further than Blue Agave. It stands up to North Georgia winters tolerating lows to -20℉ without skipping a beat. It’s hardy growing throughout USDA zones 5 through 7. 

However, if you’re expecting some extreme winter lows there are precautions you can take to help protect your Blue Agave. Adding several inches of organic mulch over the planting site and watering deeply the day before the cold weather arrives helps insulate the roots keeping them warm. 

You can also cover the agave with sheets to contain the warmth or string holiday lights throughout the canopy. 

How Big Does It Get?

They can develop into mature plants that are 2 to 3 feet tall and 3 to 4 feet wide. Although this is a slow growing plant, consider their eventual size when selecting a location in the landscape and give them enough room to grow without interference.

How Much Sun Does It Require?

For the best performance situate Blue Agave where it receives full sun for the majority of the day, although it tolerates partial sun for a portion of the day. 

What About Soil and Water?

Although it prefers a sandy soil, the Blue Agave Havardiana grows well in a variety of soils that are well-drained and won’t tolerate a site that is soggy with poor drainage.

Water the Blue Agave after planting and once or twice weekly for the first month while the root system establishes itself. The agave is very drought-tolerant and once established doesn’t require any supplemental water for good growth.

Is It Easy to Maintain?

If you’re not looking to add a fussy problem child to your landscape then the Blue Agave Havardiana is the plant for you. It requires little in the way of maintenance to retain its good looks and grow properly. The only pruning you can do is possibly trim off the sharp ends of the leaf tips so they don’t poke someone. Blue Agave is a true “plant it and forget it” plant that doesn’t require care to thrive. 

What About Fertilizing?

Blue Agave Havardiana doesn’t require supplemental feedings for healthy growth. However, if you want to use a general-purpose blend for landscape plants applied in spring it won’t hurt the agave, but it is best to use a succulent or cactus specialized fertilizer.

Follow the label directions on amounts and spread evenly on the soil around the base of the Blue Agave, being careful not to get any fertilizer on the leaves as it can burn them. After the application, be sure to water it well. The best time to fertilize this plant is in the spring and summer. Avoid fertilizing in the winter when the plant is dormant, and do not over fertilize.