Ornatec InternationalSpecies reference sheet ยท ornatecinternational.com
Agave parryi
Parry's Agave
The Agave parryi, commonly known as Parry's Agave or the Artichoke Agave, is a compact, tightly packed rosette succulent from the high deserts of Arizona, New Mexico and northern Mexico. Broad, short, powder-blue leaves are edged and tipped with dark chestnut spines, and overlap so closely that the rosette reads as a single sculpted mass.
It is one of the coldest-hardy agaves and one of the neatest, holding an almost geometric form without any attention at all. It is used as a repeated accent in gravel gardens, planters and median beds.
Specifications
- Height0.5 to 0.8 metres as a rosette, with a flower spike to 4 metres at maturity
- Width0.6 to 1 metre
- Native toArizona, New Mexico and northern Mexico, at high desert elevations
- FoliageBroad, short, powder-blue leaves with dark chestnut marginal teeth and terminal spine, tightly overlapping; evergreen
- Growth rateVery slow
Conditions
- SoilRequires sharply drained gravelly or sandy soils; rots quickly in heavy or wet ground
- LightFull sun
- WaterVery low; strongly drought-tolerant and intolerant of overwatering
- ClimateThrives in hot arid and semi-arid regions and tolerates hard frost, being a high desert species
Additional Features
- FormTight, symmetrical, almost artichoke-like rosette holding an exact geometry with no maintenance
- UsesGravel and xeriscape gardens, repeated accents in median and roundabout beds, planters and podium schemes
- SpacingPlant 0.8 to 1 metre apart for a rhythm of individual rosettes
- Low MaintenanceRemove offsets where spread is unwanted; keep clear of paths because of the terminal spine
- Pest ResistanceFew significant pest or disease problems where drainage is sharp
- Drought ToleranceVery high, needing no supplementary water once established
- Frost ToleranceAmong the hardiest agaves in cultivation, widening the sites where it can be used
- ToxicitySharp terminal spine and marginal teeth; site away from paths, play areas and seating
Parry's Agave is the neatest of the blue agaves and the one that holds its geometry longest without intervention.
Availability by project review. Sizes, quantities, origin and export readiness are confirmed after your plant schedule is reviewed against destination, timing and quarantine requirements. MEWA certified for supply into Saudi Arabia; Australian Export Registered Establishment.
Enquiries: sales@ornatecinternational.com
310 Donkin Rd, Utchee Creek QLD 4871, Australia
Prepared 12 September 2026