How to Propagate Agave Parryi

Agave parryi is often called 'artichoke agave' because the leaves grow from a center point in a rosette form very similar to artichoke leaves. The handsome, grayish-blue, sword-shaped leaves can grow up to 1 foot long and 4 to 5 inches wide in clumps that can span 5 feet at maturity. Agave parryi is a slow-growing plant that can tolerate poor soil, harsh summer heat and winter temperatures as low as 15 degrees Fahrenheit. Propagate agave parryi in early autumn by planting the offshoots that grow at the base of a mature parent plant.

1-gallon coffee can
Sand
Commercial potting mixture
Spray bottle
Sharp knife
Powdered rooting hormone
Fertilizer for cacti, or all-purpose fertilizer

Instructions

- 1
  Poke several holes in the bottom of a 1-gallon coffee can and fill the can with a mixture of half sand and half commercial potting mixture. Spray the potting mixture with water until it's just barely damp.
- 2
  Use a sharp knife to cut an offshoot from the base of a mature agave parryi plant. Be sure to include the stem that connects the offshoot to the parent plant because this is where new roots will develop.
- 3
  Dip the end of the offshoot in powdered rooting hormone, and plant the base of the offshoot in the potting mixture. Put the pot outdoors and protect it from direct sunlight on hot summer days for the first year. As a houseplant, agave parryi should be placed in indirect light and moved into full sunlight when new growth appears.
- 4
  Keep the soil slightly moist and never allow the bottom of the pot to sit in water. Excess moisture can cause rot, which will kill succulents.
- 5
  Fertilize the agave parryi in spring and again in mid-summer. Use a fertilizer formulated for cactus or an all-purpose fertilizer. Apply according to the manufacturer's directions.

Life Cycle of a Cactus

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Growing Cactus