This spectacular, large, cliff-dwelling Agave from central western Mexico provides a focal point for any garden. Its soft, deeply keeled, light green to pale blue, ascending leaves are curved at the base and strongly recurved towards their delicately drawn-out tip, giving the plant a bold and unique, somewhat spidery appearance.
When in flower, it produces a huge, unbranched spike that sports thousands of bright yellow flowers, followed by numerous bulbils that can be used for propagation. Seed however is rarely set, especially in cultivation. It has been popular in gardens on the Mediterranean for at least a century and will adapt to cultivation anywhere outside the humid tropics where no severe freezes are experienced.
A. vilmoriniana has no spines or thorns and thus is one of the few Agave that can be planted anywhere, without ever becoming a danger to beast or man alike. In addition, it is easy and fast growing, needs hardly any maintenance and adapts perfectly to being grown in containers. Its leaves contain saponin, a soap substitute, and other substances that are believed to have medicinal properties.
Zone 9 and higher outside, but also makes a great container plant for cooler zones if brought in for the winter.

A medium sized Agave to 4 feet tall by 4 feet wide with a dense rosette, rounded in outline, atop a short trunk 1 to 2 feet tall that is usually hidden until plants get some age (about when they bloom!). The 2 foot long leaves are fairly stiff, narrow (2-4 inches) and concave towards the middle with a broad central band colored pale green and strong creamy white margins that often have a flush of pink. When in flower, which does not occur until this plant is at least 10 years old and often much later, it sends up an 8 to 10 foot spike with a well-branched panicle bearing greenish-white flowers.
Though mostly solitary in youth, after flowering this plant often suckers and small colonies can form. Bulbils also form in the inflorescence to help perpetuate this plant. These bulbils can vary in their amount of variegation. Plant in full sun to light shade and irrigate occasionally to very little. Hardy to around 20°F.

This species comes from the mountains of Southern Mexico. A small, solitary species that forms a very neat and regular rosette of up to 80 variable, grey-green to white leaves that are nearly half as wide as they are long. The leaf margins are extremely undulate and armed with reddish-brown spines.
This beautiful agave was appreciated by the Nahuatl Indians who called it "papalometl" meaning "Butterfly Agave". The specific name "potatorum" is the generative of the Latin word 'potator' meaning "of the drinkers" in reference to the use of this plant in making alcoholic beverages.
Cold hardy to 25 degrees.