Agave xylonacantha ‘Frostbite’

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.

Take care when pruning or removing agaves, as many have a toxic sap that causes inflammation and rashing. Removing spent agave heads can also be tricky as they are often ringed with other armed agaves. If you like the look of agaves, but are threatened by the terminal spikes, they can be removed. It's easiest to cut these off when they are coming out of the rosette as you'll be able to prune the thorns off many layers of leaves at one time.

You can 'pineapple' your agave by removing the lowest leaves. This is best started while it is out of the nursery can, but before planting, when you can access leaves from the bottom. This gives the plant a short trunk, textured similar to many palms, and allows you to get under the plant for weeding or removing pups.

Agaves, even very large ones, are a great choice to grow in a pot. The upright form of this agave goes well with tall planters.

They're an excellent 'home defense' tool when planted along a fence line or beneath windows.

The specific epithet 'xylonocantha' means "wood spines".