Agave colorata x celsii ‘Blue Wave’

Imprinted, flame-like silvery leaves with showy spines form a small, upright rosette. Silvery color brightens with intense sun.
height 1–3ft
width 2–4ft
tolerates Drought, Heat, Pots, Rooftops, Neglect, Wind
water
needs
Low
water
info
Agave plants are extremely drought tolerant, and most need no supplemental irrigation in coastal California. They will, however, look better and grow faster if they are given additional water, especially during summer.
hardy
to
18F
exposure Part Shade – Full Sun
indoor
outdoor
Outdoor
drainage In Ground: Cactus Mix, In Pots: Cactus Mix, Tolerates Sandy Soil
fertilizing All Purpose 1/2 Strength
origin Hybrid, Mexico
california
native
No
sunset
zones
9, 11–24

Sunset Zones Map

Outdoor Exposure Guide

OUTDOOR EXPOSURE GUIDE

Full Sun
Six or more hours of sun beams directly landing on the plant's leaves.

Part Shade
Three to five hours of sun beams directly landing on the plant's leaves.

Part Sun
One to two hours of sun beams directly landing on the plants leaves.

Full Shade
The plant is never fully lit by sun beams, but is in a bright spot or has dappled sunbeams playing over the leaves throughout the day.

Deep Shade
The plant never has dappled light on the leaves, and is in a place that feels dim, even on a nice sunny day.

SUNSET ZONES MAP

Growing Notes

As this is a new hybrid and one parent (colorata) tends to be solitary while the other (celsii) pups, we are unsure if this agave will be solitary or create a small colony.
Almost all agave, including this one, are monocarpic, meaning that a head will grow larger and larger over time, building up energy, then send off a spectacular flower, after which it will decline and die. With pupping varieties, like this one, they grow from stolons at the base, constantly replacing the older bloomed-out heads with new ones, which then grow larger and flower, continuing the life cycle.
Agaves, even very large ones, are a great choice to grow in a pot. Agaves that would normally be ten feet in the ground tend to settle into even small pots and stay in harmonious balance. Every few years, if they start to stall, you can remove them and trim back a third of the roots and remove any pups. Sometimes they get very rootbound, and it can be beneficial to bottom water, setting them in a saucer of water for a day.

Special Interest

This is a new hybrid and as such the information here is mostly sleuthed out from the size and growth of the parentage.

This plant is an excellent ‘home defense’ tool when planted along a fence line or beneath windows.