Light
Full sun, meaning six or more hours of direct sun a day. In a pot, give it the sunniest spot you have, and a summer outdoors if you can. Under glass, the RHS suggests bright but filtered light.
Water
In the ground it's drought tolerant once established. In a pot, water moderately in spring and summer, let the mix dry out between drinks, and keep it nearly dry in winter. Soggy soil leads to root rot.
Soil & pots
Sandy or gritty soil with sharp drainage. In a container, use a gritty cactus mix and a pot with a drainage hole. It stays much smaller in a pot than it would in the ground.
Temperature
Outdoors it's hardy in USDA zones 8 to 11, given soil that drains fast. Farther north, grow it in a pot and bring it in before frost. The RHS rates it as tolerating cold but not being frozen.
Is century plant safe for pets?
Toxic to cats and dogs. ASPCA doesn't list century plant. The RHS says it's harmful to dogs and cats if eaten, and Pet Poison Helpline says agave sap can cause skin irritation and stomach upset in dogs.
Propagation
Century plant is easiest to multiply from the pups (offsets) that form around its base. Take them in spring or fall. It can also be grown from seed, slowly.
- Put on thick gloves, long sleeves and eye protection.
- Dig beside a pup and cut it free with some roots attached.
- Let the cut end dry for a few days.
- Pot it in dry, gritty cactus mix and water once it has settled in.
Common problems
FAQ
Does a century plant really take 100 years to bloom?
No. Outdoors it usually flowers somewhere between its 10th and 25th year. The name comes from an old belief that it took a century. Indoors in a pot, it rarely flowers at all.
Does a century plant die after it flowers?
The rosette that flowers does. Century plant blooms once and then dies, which botanists call monocarpic. The pups around its base keep growing, so the plant carries on as a colony.
What does a century plant flower look like?
A single stalk shoots up from the center, 15 to 30 feet tall, like a telephone pole with short branches near the top. Clusters of greenish-yellow flowers, each 3 to 4 inches long, open at the branch tips.
Is century plant the same as blue agave?
No. Blue agave usually means Agave tequilana, the tequila agave, a separate species from Mexico. Century plant is Agave americana, the big landscape agave with gray-green leaves.
Is century plant toxic to cats and dogs?
Treat it as harmful. The RHS says it's harmful to dogs and cats if eaten, and its sap irritates skin. The spines are a hazard too, so keep pets away from it.
Sources
- Agave americana (Plants of the World Online, Kew)
- Agave americana (Missouri Botanical Garden Plant Finder)
- Agave americana (NC State Extension Plant Toolbox)
- Agave americana (RHS)
- Agave spp. (UC ANR, Plant Safely in Drought-Tolerant Landscapes)
- A Severely Swollen Face with No Tequila High (Pet Poison Helpline)
- Toxic and Non-Toxic Plant List: Cats (ASPCA)
- Toxic and Non-Toxic Plant List: Dogs (ASPCA)
- Agave tequilana (Plants of the World Online, Kew)
- Agave tequilana (Stellenbosch University Botanical Garden)