Species · genus Agave · Asparagaceae
Fox Tail Agave
Agave attenuata Salm-Dyck
Also known as: Swan-neck Agave
Cultivars of A. attenuata
The named forms growers keep — each with its own page, each honest about how much we know.
No named cultivars catalogued under A. attenuata yet. When growers document a stable, named form, it earns its own page here.
Guide
The species-level account. Cultivar pages build on this and say where they differ.
Foxtail agave overview
Agave attenuata is a succulent perennial that forms an evergreen rosette of silvery, pale green leaves atop a thick stem. In summer it can send up an arching flower stem of yellow blooms reaching as much as 1.5 metres tall.
Source: RHS
A Mexican native
This agave hails from Mexico, part of a genus of perennial or monocarpic succulents that form rosettes of fleshy, usually spiny-edged leaves. Its family is Asparagaceae, and it holds a place among the RHS's cactus and succulent listings as a conservatory or greenhouse subject in cooler climates.
Source: RHS
Sun, drainage, restraint
Give it full sun, ideally a west- or south-facing spot with some shelter, and a free-draining, well-drained soil such as loam or sand. It is frost tender, so outside of summer it generally needs glass protection, grown in cactus compost under full light. Ease off watering in autumn and keep it dry through winter, and expect no need for feeding notes beyond this rhythm as the plant tolerates drought well.
Source: RHS
Grown from offsets
Propagation is done by offsets, the small rosettes the plant produces alongside itself.
Source: RHS
Silvery rosette form
The distinctive look here is the bushy, evergreen rosette of silvery, pale green to grey leaves sitting on a thick stem, an architectural shape that suits gravel gardens, patios, and courtyard plantings. Its ultimate height runs to about 1 to 1.5 metres with a spread of 1.5 to 2.5 metres, though it takes 10 to 20 years to reach that full size.
Source: RHS
Watch for scale
Scale insects are the main pest to watch for on this plant.
Source: RHS
Little upkeep needed
No pruning is required, and the plant is generally disease-free. Do keep in mind it is a skin irritant and harmful if eaten by pets, so gloves are worth wearing when handling it.
Source: RHS
Care recipe
The species record — the baseline every cultivar inherits unless it says otherwise.
Care notes are early — not yet verified
- Light
- ai:claude-opus-4-8
- Water
- ai:claude-opus-4-8 (range 14-28d)
- Humidity
- ai:claude-opus-4-8
- Soil
- ai:claude-fable-5
- Care
- ai:claude-fable-5
Direct sun
≈ every 28 days
Low — average room
10–32 °C
Gritty, sharply draining cactus and succulent mix
Pot up the freely offset pups
Light feed once or twice during the growing season
Moderate
Arching cream flower spike after many years, spineless soft leaves
Not yet documented
This is where toxicity lives — every cultivar of this species inherits it and none can override it.
Reference images
Every image credited. Licenses link to their deeds.
Sources: ai:claude-opus-4-8 · ai:claude-opus-4-8 (range 14-28d) · ai:claude-fable-5
Kept true by its growers
Every fact here carries its source. Grow Fox Tail Agave yourself? What you’ve observed — how it drinks, how it holds its color, a name that’s off — and a clear photo of your plant are exactly what keep this page honest. Contributions are reviewed before anything changes.
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