Product Field NotesCompanion Plants
Dragon Toes Agave: A Chunky Blue Star for Sunny Containers
Save
Dragon Toes agave forms a dense, compact rosette of thick, broad, powder-blue leaves, each edged with evenly spaced curved red teeth and tipped with a sharp reddish-brown spine. Faint imprints of neighboring leaves show on the surfaces, a signature agave detail. At 8 to 12 inches tall, it is a chunky little blue star outlined in red, and it grows slowly enough to stay pot-sized for years.
Dragon Toes at a glance
| Trait | What to expect |
|---|---|
| Botanical name | Agave pygmaea 'Dragon Toes' |
| Foliage | Powder blue with red teeth and tip spines |
| Size | 8 to 12 inches tall, 12 to 24 inches wide |
| Flowers | Rarely; once after many years, then the main rosette dies |
| Hardiness | USDA zones 9 to 11 |
| Light | Full sun |
| Deer | Resistant |
Blue on blue with lavender
Few plants match lavender's silvery cool tones as neatly as a powder-blue agave. Set a pot of Dragon Toes at the corner of a lavender bed, on a gravel patio or on a sunny step, and its blue leaves pick up the gray-blue of lavender foliage while the red teeth add a sharp accent. The shapes are opposites too: soft, billowing lavender against a rigid, geometric rosette.
Because it shares lavender's needs for sun and dry roots, it is easy to care for side by side. Many growers keep a few small succulent pots near the lavender all summer. Try your layout in the Companion Plant Planner.
Growing it in a pot
- Mix: sandy or gravelly, very fast-draining cactus mix in a pot with drainage holes.
- Water: deeply, then not again until the mix is completely dry.
- Moving out: after frost danger, harden it off over a week or so to avoid sunburned leaves.
- Moving in: bring it indoors before nights drop below about 40°F.
- Indoors: a bright, cool window, kept nearly dry until spring. Check for mealybugs and scale.
Root and crown rot from wet soil is the main risk, especially in cool, humid weather. When in doubt, wait another few days to water.
Handling and formats
The spines are sharp and agave sap can irritate skin, so wear gloves to repot and place it where kids and pets will not brush into it. Dragon Toes is offered as a full 72-cell plug tray, which suits growers potting up succulent containers in quantity. See the product page for current availability.
Frequently asked questions
Will it survive outdoors in Michigan?
No. It is not winter hardy here. Bring it inside each fall.
How fast does it grow?
Slowly, which is part of its charm. It stays a compact container plant for a long time.
What happens if it blooms?
Agaves bloom once after many years, and the main rosette then dies. That is rare in a pot, and offsets may carry on.
Share how it went in your field