Agave vilmoriniana

Agave edwardii, Agave houghii, Agave mayoensis, Agave eduardi

Octopus Agave

Agavaceae

Hanging out on cliff sides between 2,000 and 5,500 feet in the Mexican states of Sonora, Durango, Jalisco and Aquascalientes.

1 Gallon

3-4'

4-6'

20 to 25°F, -6.7 to -3.9°C

Very high heat tolerance.

Full sun to partial shade inland.

Very drought tolerant.

None

This plant is beautiful in succulent and cactus gardens. Excellent contrasting with grasses in xeriscape plantings. Also a nice plant for large containers. This plant is very tolerant of alkaline soils.

The flower spike produces many bubils or pups which can be removed and replanted as seed is difficult to germinate. Replant rare base offsets as well.

Root rot in poor draining soils. Needs good drainage.

Agave vilmoriniana has interesting narrow recurved leaves which give the plant the appearance of a giant octopus. This agave has few teeth and soft terminal spines making it more friendly in garden plantings than many agaves. It tends to remain solitary as well and has a tropical look and color for an agave. After about 5-10 years, it blooms with an unbranched flower spike covered in yellow flowers. The blooms are very attractive to nectar-loving birds. Individual rosettes die after flowering. Agave vilmoriniana has one of the highest concentrations of smilagenen, a sapogenin, so that in Mexico the fibers of the leaves are made into a brush that contains its own soap. This agave is named for Maurice de Vilmorin, with whom Berger found this Agave.