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    Home»Succulents and Cacti»Agave ‘Blue Glow’: Growing and Care Guide

    Agave ‘Blue Glow’: Growing and Care Guide

    By Milo MasonSeptember 28, 2022
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    Are you looking for the ideal Agave to brighten up your home? Then, the Agave ‘Blue Glow’ is an excellent choice!

    This beautiful succulent is the perfect addition to any room in your house, and with proper care, it can be long-lived and healthy for years to come.

    Agave 'Blue Glow' Potted Plants
    Agave ‘Blue Glow’ Potted Plants (“180411 141 Waterwise Botanicals – Agave ‘Moonshine’, an Agave attenuata hybrid, closely related to ‘Blue Glow’, which unlike ‘Blue Glow’ doesn’t die after flowering; notice the offsets” by cultivar413 is licensed under CC BY 2.0.)

    In this guide, we’ll discuss how to care for your Agave Blue Glow so that it looks beautiful and stays healthy year around.

    in this article:

    • care
    • pruning
    • repotting
    • propagation
    • blooms
    • pests
    • common-problems

    About Agave ‘Blue Glow’

    The Agave ‘Blue Glow’ is an evergreen succulent with an attractive, colorful appearance. The blue-green chalky leaves are thick and rigid, in typical Agave fashion. They have a deep red line bordering the edges with an accompanying, thinner yellow line to add drama.

    A red tip at the apex of each leaf finishes off the look. It forms a solitary rosette that requires about ten years to reach its full height!

    It is a cultivar of Agave attenuata and Agave ocahui. 

    Related Article: Learn about different types of Agave succulents and common varieties

    Botanical NameAgave ‘Blue Glow’
    Common NameBlue Glow Agave
    FamilyAsparagaceae
    Plant TypeSucculent
    OriginGarden Origin
    MaintenanceLow
    Height1-2 feet
    Width2-3 feet
    LightFull sun, Partial shade
    Bloom seasonSummer
    Bloom colorYellow
    Water needsLow
    SoilWell-Drained, Loamy, Sandy
    TolerantDeer, Drought, Salt
    ToxicityMildly-toxic
    Hardiness (USDA)8-11

    Agave ‘Blue Glow’ Care

    Agave Blue Glow is easy to care for, requiring only minimal attention once established. It is suitable for beginners because once established, some neglect here and there won’t hurt the plant irreparably.

    Light

    Agave Blue Glow appreciates full sun to partial shade. Full sun will give you the best leaf color, but partial shade is still good for protection from harsh sunlight and summer heat.

    Soil

    Agaves are succulents and need well-drained sandy, light, and airy soil. It should be amended with pumice or perlite to help it drain well. If the soil becomes too soggy, the Agave will rot.

    Make sure your Agave’s roots have plenty of space and never get too much water at once—if they’re sitting in waterlogged soil, they’ll develop root rot.

    Water

    Water your Agave deeply but only when needed. Watering too much can cause root rot, a common problem with succulents.

    When you water your agaves, add enough water to run out of the drainage holes in the bottom of their pots and collect underneath them. Letting potted plants sit in standing water is one of the most common causes of root rot.

    Temperature and Humidity

    Blue Glow agaves can tolerate the cold, but they’ll struggle in temperatures below 25 degrees Fahrenheit. A dramatic drop in temperature can cause your plant to lose its leaves and die. If you live in a climate where temperatures regularly dip below 25 degrees Fahrenheit, consider keeping this plant indoors or moving it to a greenhouse for the winter unless you’re sure it will be protected from extreme cold.

    The ideal Agave ‘Blue Glow’ temperature is between 55 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit.

    You should also avoid placing your Agave in areas with high humidity levels, as these plants are not suited for such conditions.

    The best place to keep a Blue Glow agave is between 40 and 60 percent relative humidity (RH), although an RH of 30% is acceptable if you’re growing it indoors—make sure it doesn’t dry out completely!

    Fertilizer

    Agave plants don’t need fertilizer to grow, but you can use some to promote faster growth. Use a balanced fertilizer (10-10-10) for the most consistent results.

    Use a fertilizer specifically made for succulents, as they have different needs from other plants. 

    Fertilize only in the spring and summer months, as the plant enters dormancy during winter.

    Agave 'Blue Glow' Cheat Sheet
    Agave ‘Blue Glow’ Cheat Sheet (Agaveblueglow.jpg by Stickpen is licensed under the Public domain, via Wikimedia Common)

    Pruning

    Pruning helps keep your Agave ‘Blue Glow’ in shape. Prune it every spring to remove dead and diseased leaves and old leaves that almost fall off the sides but are still attached to the basal rosette’s outer rim.

    Potting and Repotting Agave ‘Blue Glow’

    Potting and repotting Agave blue glow is effortless, even if you’ve never done it before. The best time to repot Agave Blue Glow is during the Spring or Summer when temperatures are nice and warm. Unfortunately, this plant goes into dormancy in the winter, so repotting during this time is a bad idea.

    To promote the best growth, the size of the pot should be just a little bit larger than the size of the rosette. Also, note that the Agave Blue Glow is a slow-grower and only needs repotting every 3-4 years.

    Prepare

    • Choose the pot. Clay/terracotta pot with drainage holes. The size should be slightly larger than the previous pot.
    • Prepare the soil. Well-draining with good airflow. Preferably amended with perlite.
    • Find the best spot for your agaves. High light, with lots of sun, is best, but if it’s too hot, they will sunburn in direct sunlight.
    • Prepare your tools: a trowel, pruners, and a sharp knife.

    How to Repot (Step-by-Step)

    1. Remove the plant from the pot
    2. Remove any soil and roots that look old and diseased.
    3. Fill the new pot with the potting soil and lower the root ball inside.
    4. Keep the soil moist and maintain relatively high temperatures (75 F) until the plant is established.
    5. Put the newly repotted Agave Blue Glow back in its original spot and give it another good drink of water, so it settles into its new home nicely!

    Propagating Agave ‘Blue Glow’

    Agave ‘Blue Glow’ is a tricky plant to propagate for various reasons.

    Firstly, it doesn’t produce offsets naturally.

    Secondly, cuttings rarely take root, making this process unviable.

    And lastly, since this plant is a cultivar of two Agave species, any plant propagated by seeds will not be an authentic ‘Blue Glow.’ And that’s not even considering how hard it is to get this plant to flower. 

    The only option left for propagation is coring.

    How to Propagate via Coring

    While most agave varieties form pups naturally, you can also create them yourself by coring the plant. Coring involves drilling a hole through the center of the plant’s core, which forces it to produce offsets for survival.

    Coring is a hit-or-miss process that requires sacrificing the parent plant in hopes of pups for the future. Only opt for this method if your plant is dying and there is nothing else to be done.

    Once the plant starts producing pups, you can replant them in a new pot and establish them as individual plants.

    Agave 'Blue Glow' As A Garden Feature
    Agave ‘Blue Glow’ as a garden feature (“Heritage Garden, Agave ‘Blue Glow” by cultivar413 is licensed under CC BY 2.0.)

    Blooms

    Agave Blue Glow is monocarpic, meaning it only blooms once before dying. The plant takes about 10 years to mature enough to flower.

    Once your Agave is ready to bloom, you will see a spectacular 10-foot-tall stalk rising from the center of the basal rosette. The stalk branches slightly near the tip, but it remains primarily upright.

    Agave Blue Glow produces greenish-yellow flowers that cluster at the stalk’s tip. But, funnily enough, the flowers aren’t nearly as eye-catching as the stalk they bloom on.

    Related: Agave filifera (Thread Agave): Care and Growing Guide

    Toxicity

    Agave ‘Blue Glow’ is mildly toxic, containing a small number of saponins which could cause irritation and rashes on skin if they come into contact with skin.

    Although the Agave ‘Blue Glow’ is slightly toxic, the amount needed to cause actual harm is usually more significant than what would occur through normal handling.

    NOTE: This page is not intended as a substitute for veterinary advice. The toxicity of an ingested substance varies depending on the amount ingested, the animal’s weight, and its sensitivity to specific allergens. Contact your veterinarian or local animal poison control center immediately if you think your pet may have ingested a toxic substance.

    Common Pests

    Pests that often plague Agave are:

    • Slugs and snails are problems in areas where they are common. Nematodes are your best bet to deter these annoying pests.
    • Agave Snout Weevils, which look like tiny, brown caterpillars with pointed snouts, attack agaves. They feed on all parts of the Agave and lay eggs in between leaves, creating small scars on leaves or buds. If you see these pests, try to remove them by hand, as they can cause significant damage to your plants if left unchecked.
    • Scale insects are sap suckers that can severely damage the Agave if left to their devices. You can handle them by spraying them with insecticidal soap or horticultural oil. 

    AVOID

    • Overwatering
    • Placing under harsh sunlight
    • Using poorly drained potting mediums
    • Fertilizing during dormancy

    Common Problems

    Here are the most common problems that sometimes plague the Agave Blue Glow.

    Overwatering

    Overwatering is the number one cause of agave death. Therefore, agaves should not be watered regularly but should be watered when the soil is dry. Watering agaves pots should be done by hand (not with a sprinkler or hose).

    Agaves need to be watered about once a week during the summer months and only once every few weeks in cooler months. Do not water your Agave excessively during wintertime!

    Sunburn

    Sunburn is caused by overexposure to the sun. You can prevent it by placing the plant under shade or in an area where it will receive morning and late afternoon indirect light. Avoid harsh afternoon sun, which can result in severe damage if left exposed for too long.

    Frost Damage

    You will want to bring the Agave inside when the temperature drops below freezing in cold climates. If this isn’t a possibility, cover it with a blanket or tarp. Frost damage will not kill an agave plant, but it will not recover from it either.

    Frost damage presents as a white discoloration near the tips of the leaves. Affected plant parts rarely recover.

    Gray Mold

    Gray mold is a fungus that grows on agaves, especially during wet weather. It causes brown spots and patches on the leaves and appears as gray, cottony masses on the leaves. If your Agave has gray mold, it’s best to remove it from the plant before it does any more damage.

    Gray mold can be treated using dishwashing soap available in most homes.

    How to Grow Agave ‘Blue Glow’ (Video)

    FAQ

    Agave Blue Glow is a medium-sized agave. It can reach up to 2 feet tall and grow up to 3 feet wide.

    Agaves are slow-growing plants. It can take them up to 10 years to reach maturity. Agave ‘Blue Glow’ is an excellent choice for those who want a slow-growing succulent in their collection, but it’s also one of the best agave choices for beginners because it’s easy to care for and maintain.

    The Agave Blue Glow is monocarpic and dies after it flowers. This can take place a few years after the plant reaches maturity at about 10 to 15 years old. Flowering only occurs once, and then the plant dies, so if you want to see the flower and keep it around for a while, it’s best to grow your Agave in a pot rather than in your garden bed.

    Indoor plants rarely flower because indoor conditions are not optimal for flowering. This has the side effect of increasing an Agave Blue Glow’s life expectancy beyond the normal.

    When your blue glow agave turns yellow, it’s usually because the plant isn’t getting enough sun. Agave Blue Glow needs at least six hours of direct sunlight daily to stay healthy and produce its characteristic blue-green leaves. If you notice that your Agave has been getting less than six hours of sunlight each day, move it to a brighter spot and see if the color returns.

    If your blue glow agave is dying, there are a few possible causes. But, in most cases, overwatering is to blame. Too much water or poor drainage can cause the roots to rot and the plant to die.

    On the other hand, harsh weather conditions can cause agaves (and many other plants) to go dormant. While it looks like death, this is just part of their natural cycle, so don’t worry!

    1. Toxic and Non-Toxic Plants. ASPCA
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    Milo Mason

    Milo Mason is a self-proclaimed plant whisperer. With a passion for gardening, houseplants, and all things outdoors, Milo has been cultivating indoor plants for the past five years with an interest in perennials and succulents. He enjoys sharing his insights and research on plant species when it comes to care tips.

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