Which are the fastest and slowest-growing agaves?

[fish2026]

I've never seen an answer to this -are attenuatas fast-growing? Titanotas? Impressas? Bovicornuta?

On average from a 3" liner size -how long does it take to get maybe 8"?


I gather this would need someone with knowledge of many varieties?

[mcvansoest]

I would also think it depends on if this is done in a professional nursery setting or in your back yard.

[Meangreen94z]

What you have listed are all decent growers, Attenuata probably the fastest, Impressa the slowest although still decent. The fastest overall Agave for me? Probably Vilmoriniana, from 6 inches to 6+ feet in a 2 year span. Americana, Lurida, and Mapisaga(Lisa) are quick as well.

[jnewmark]

It would also depend on whether or not they spend their lives in the ground or in pots, no ?

[Bananaguy]

I agree pots would slow there growth compared to in the ground. But with my potted ones the tropicals blow the cold hardy out of the water. They are all in the same area and receive same amount of light and water.

[jnewmark]

I agree pots would slow there growth compared to in the ground. But with my potted ones the tropicals blow the cold hardy out of the water. They are all in the same area and receive same amount of light and water.

I find that also. I have some small Utahensis plants in pots, that haven't grown at all in two years. Meanwhile, Attenuata has been repotted twice.

[Gee.S]

Too many variables here, this is not a simple black and white issue. Agaves grow fast when you hit their sweet spot. That includes factors you can control (amount of light and agua), some you can't (light intensity, humidity), and others you can influence, such as substrate. Give an agave its preferred temperature, light amount, light intensity, substrate, humidity, wind, etc, and it should grow like a weed. So growth rate for most will vary widely dependent upon species and locale. Other than that, there are some generalizations one can make. Thin leaves grow faster than thick leaves. Marginal spines slow growth, so the more spines the slower. An odd exception to this rule is the bizarrely slow growing A. pelona. And of course, pathogens and grazers slow growth.

[KLC]

In my experience the fastest were A. sobria, A. macroacantha, A. ovatifolia A. asperima and A. parryi truncata, while A. havardiana holds the crown for the slowest. Your results may vary depending on your location, here in Phoenix we have a near endless growing season.

[Merlyn2220]

Here in FL my fastest growing are undoubtedly "Confederate Rose," they are like Tribbles. Fortunately they are also small, but can go from a pup to full grown 6" in about a month...and be producing more pups along the way. The hybrid Mangaves like "Mission to Mars" and "Mayan Queen" are also really fast. Out of the larger agaves plain old Americana is the quickest for me, followed by a hybrid "Bluebell Giants" and others like Desmettiana, Vivipara (Angustifolia) Marginata, Weberi, Salmiana, Vilmoriniana, "Blue Flame," etc.

The slowest by far are Havardiana and Titanota here. Parryi are pretty slow here too, but at least they grow. Havardiana just sits there looking happy but never changes...

[Papahuel]

Too many variables here, this is not a simple black and white issue. Agaves grow fast when you hit their sweet spot. That includes factors you can control (amount of light and agua), some you can't (light intensity, humidity), and others you can influence, such as substrate. Give an agave its preferred temperature, light amount, light intensity, substrate, humidity, wind, etc, and it should grow like a weed. So growth rate for most will vary widely dependent upon species and locale. Other than that, there are some generalizations one can make. Thin leaves grow faster than thick leaves. Marginal spines slow growth, so the more spines the slower. An odd exception to this rule is the bizarrely slow growing A. pelona. And of course, pathogens and grazers slow growth.

+1 for what Gee said, they all have a sweet spot they'll grow better at, for me the speed growers are marmorata, americana and cupreata closely followed by tequiliana and potatorum. My parryi's, deserti and deserti v simplex were struggling but with a bit of a substrate change and move to a much drier sunnier location they are getting a move on.

[FriskyDingo]

Sorry to thread jack(ish), but this makes me think of a conundrum I am currently facing.

I have about a half dozen Americanas that are glacierly slow growing. The longest I have had for 2 years, and it has barely put out 3 leaves. I have them in different soil mixes, different pots, some fertilized/not, and nothing seems to matter. No one outperforms any other by a noticeable margin. I can't put them in the ground in my growing zone, so that isn't an option.

Ideas?

[Papahuel]

Sorry to thread jack(ish), but this makes me think of a conundrum I am currently facing.

I have about a half dozen Americanas that are glacierly slow growing. The longest I have had for 2 years, and it has barely put out 3 leaves. I have them in different soil mixes, different pots, some fertilized/not, and nothing seems to matter. No one outperforms any other by a noticeable margin. I can't put them in the ground in my growing zone, so that isn't an option.

Ideas?

What growing zone do you live in that prevents putting them in the ground? Americana can take pretty diverse conditions in my experience.

How much sun do they get?

[FriskyDingo]

Sorry to thread jack(ish), but this makes me think of a conundrum I am currently facing.

I have about a half dozen Americanas that are glacierly slow growing. The longest I have had for 2 years, and it has barely put out 3 leaves. I have them in different soil mixes, different pots, some fertilized/not, and nothing seems to matter. No one outperforms any other by a noticeable margin. I can't put them in the ground in my growing zone, so that isn't an option.

Ideas?

What growing zone do you live in that prevents putting them in the ground? Americana can take pretty diverse conditions in my experience.

How much sun do they get?

I'm border of 6b/7a. They get full sun.

[Papahuel]

I'm border of 6b/7a. They get full sun.

Fair enough that is colder than I've had experience with them.

At least your ones are still putting out leaves, albeit slowly. I would be more concerned if they had just hit the pause button completely (which I've seen some of my ones do until they got what they needed).

The amount of light and it's intensity I've found has quite often been the main determinate how quickly my agaves grow, also growing in the ground vs container is like day vs night but the later doesn't sound like an option for you.

[jnewmark]

Sorry to thread jack(ish), but this makes me think of a conundrum I am currently facing.

I have about a half dozen Americanas that are glacierly slow growing. The longest I have had for 2 years, and it has barely put out 3 leaves. I have them in different soil mixes, different pots, some fertilized/not, and nothing seems to matter. No one outperforms any other by a noticeable margin. I can't put them in the ground in my growing zone, so that isn't an option.

Ideas?

What growing zone do you live in that prevents putting them in the ground? Americana can take pretty diverse conditions in my experience.

How much sun do they get?

I'm border of 6b/7a. They get full sun.

I'm in 6A and the only luck I've ever had with any Agaves in the ground are Bracteosa and Funkiana. I cover them in Winter from about late October until May, keeping them dry. But, back on topic, those of us who are forced to grow Agaves in pots face different culture conditions, which probably effects rate of growth, as opposed to letting them do their thing as Nature intended, in the ground, especially the larger ones. I don't know the scientific reasons for this, ( probably something to do with the roots having more room to extend laterally), just something I've observed growing them in pots for a number of years. Lately, I've been trying to grow the smaller, solitary types and have had more success with them. They seem to do ok as far as growing at a faster pace; at least I'm repotting them more frequently than the larger types.

[FriskyDingo]

Well, the good news is I'm relocating to Ft. Walton Beach, FL in a couple months, so I'll soon have the opportunity to put them all (most) in the ground.

[jnewmark]

Well, the good news is I'm relocating to Ft. Walton Beach, FL in a couple months, so I'll soon have the opportunity to put them all (most) in the ground.

I have seen some huge Agaves in the ground in Florida !

[Xanthoria]

Fast for me (SF bay area): Attenuata, americana and variegates, Green Giant, weberi & variegates, desmettiana, celsii, geminiflora, gypsophylla.

Slow for me: Nickelsii, vic-reg, albopilosa.

[TropicalplantloverOH]

Hi all! I want to grow Agave parryi neomexicana at my home here in Ohio, I’ve seen that they can take some more moisture and are some of the most cold hardy. How fast would that one grow for me? Thank you if you do reply.

[Meangreen94z]

Hi all! I want to grow Agave parryi neomexicana at my home here in Ohio, I’ve seen that they can take some more moisture and are some of the most cold hardy. How fast would that one grow for me? Thank you if you do reply.

They are not extremely moisture tolerant. I would look at the ‘JC Raulston’ parryi for hardiness and moisture tolerance. Although it likely won’t survive in Ohio, depending on location. There is another member here who has tried a number of species with little success.

[westfork]

Hi all! I want to grow Agave parryi neomexicana at my home here in Ohio, I’ve seen that they can take some more moisture and are some of the most cold hardy. How fast would that one grow for me? Thank you if you do reply.

If you have a place to store the agaves bareroot during the coldest three months of winter your options really expand. We have had great results planting fast growing non-hardy species and then popping them out of the ground with a fork before the temperatures start hitting around 5-8 degrees (-15C). But this only works if you have a dark area that stays just above freezing for the storage period. And we found if we pull them after the ground is frozen about 8" down that the rock around the roots stays intact.

IMG_0912 Emerald Giants 11-26-2023.jpg (248.37 KiB) Viewed 11377 times

But as to your question, your climate is difficult as your winters are wet as well as moderately cold. Many have had problems finding agaves that work there. Our survivor list is probably meaningless for you since we are far colder but with generally very dry and sunny winters. Neomexicana does OK (depending on the population) but certain parryi parryi, utahensis kaibabensis, gracilipes, and glomeruliflora seem more forgiving of varied conditions. This all depends on the populations and individuals though.

Almost excessive drainage in a raised berm on a slope with plenty of summer sun exposure is critical in a wet cold climate. But water frequently the first year (in warm season) in overly drained soils until the roots get established.
Good luck!

[agavegreg]

For plants growing side by side in the same conditions, so culture, soil, light, etc. being equal, one of fastest is vilmoriniana, while one of the slowest is victoriae-reginae.